title: Do iodine water purification tablets provide an effective barrier against Cryptosporidium parvum?
abstract: U.S. Army Iodine Water Purification Tablets were tested to determine their efficacy against Cryptosporidium parvum, a protozoan resistant to chemical disinfection. Purified oocysts in phosphate-buffered water were treated with varying concentrations of iodine or with iodine tablets as per U.S. Army protocol. Neonatal mouse pups were then each inoculated with 10,000 treated oocysts, and 1 week later scored as infected or uninfected. Using this methodology, iodine tablets were found to be inadequate against C. parvum because the Army doctrinal dose of 560 mg min/L, calculated as 16 mg of I2/L and 35 minutes of contact time, showed less than 1 log inactivation. A dose of 29 mg of I2/L at the same contact time was required to achieve a 2 log inactivation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Butkus
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Starke
authors.forename: Dwight D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Bowman
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Labare
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Fogarty
authors.forename: Araceli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucio-Forster
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barbi
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pavlo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum / Q000187:drug effects*; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007455:Iodine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008887:Military Medicine; D012449:Safety; D013607:Tablets; D014481:United States; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis / Q000469:parasitology*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004202:Disinfectants; D013607:Tablets; D014867:Water; D007455:Iodine