title: An IC-PCR method for detection of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in natural surface waters in Finland.
abstract: We developed an immunocapture-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for simultaneous detection of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts and Giardia intestinalis cysts in surface water. Using primer pairs Cry9/Cry15 and LaxA/LaxB for Cryptosporidium and Gdh1/Gdh4 for Giardia, the sensitivity of the entire detection procedure (dealing with concentration, separation, DNA purification and PCR amplification) was at the level of 50-100 oocysts and cysts. Of 54 surface water samples, 4 were positive for Cryptosporidium and 1 for Giardia. Cryptosporidium and Giardia were detected for the first time in surface water in Finland.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 57, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland. Ruska.rimhanen@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Ruska
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rimhanen-Finne
authors.forename: Ari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hörman
authors.forename: Pilvi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ronkainen
authors.forename: Marja Liisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hänninen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005387:Finland; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000382:microbiology; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D018189:Immunomagnetic Separation / Q000379:methods*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D014871:Water Microbiology