Evaluation of water treatment plant UV reactor efficiency against Cryptosporidium parvum oocyst infectivity in immunocompetent suckling mice.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the efficiency of a medium-pressure UV reactor under full-scale water treatment plant (WTP) conditions on the infectivity of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in an Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) suckling mice infectivity model.


RESULTS
Six/seven-day-old mice were administered orally 2-10x10(4)Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts. Compared with nonirradiated oocysts, 40 mJ cm(-2) UV irradiation of ingested oocysts resulted 7 days later in a 3.4-4.0 log10 reduction in the counts of small intestine oocysts, using a fluorescent flow cytometry assay.


CONCLUSIONS
Present data extend to industrial conditions previous observations of the efficiency of UV irradiation against Cryptosporidium parvum oocyst in vivo development.


CONCLUSIONS
Present results suggest that in WTP conditions, a medium-pressure UV reactor is efficient in reducing the infectivity of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts, one of the most resistant micro-organisms present in environmental waters.
Le Goff
L
L
 Parasitology Department, Rouen University Hospital & EA 4311-IFRMP 23, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Rouen, Rouen Cedex, France.
Khaldi
S
S
 Parasitology Department, Rouen University Hospital & EA 4311-IFRMP 23, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Rouen, Rouen Cedex, France.
Favennec
L
L
 Parasitology Department, Rouen University Hospital & EA 4311-IFRMP 23, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Rouen, Rouen Cedex, France.
Nauleau
F
F
 STEREAU Process and Technologies, St-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France.
Meneceur
P
P
 Laboratory of Parasitology-Mycology, EA 3520 Faculty of Medicine Paris Diderot, Paris, France.
Perot
J
J
 STEREAU Process and Technologies, St-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France.
Ballet
J-J
JJ
 Immunology Department, Caen University Hospital & UPRES-EA 2128, Faculty of Medicine, University of Caen, Caen Cedex, France.
Gargala
G
G
 Parasitology Department, Rouen University Hospital & EA 4311-IFRMP 23, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Rouen, Rouen Cedex, France.
D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051379:Mice; D033661:Oocysts / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011312:Pressure; D014871:Water Microbiology; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*