title: The impact of the waterborne transmission of Toxoplasma gondii and analysis efforts for water detection: an overview and update.
abstract: The ubiquitous protozoa Toxoplasma gondii is now the subject of renewed interest, due to the spread of oocysts via water causing waterborne outbreaks of toxoplasmosis in different parts of the world. This overview discusses the different methods for detection of Toxoplasma in drinking and environmental water. It includes a combination of conventional and molecular tools for effective oocyst recovery and detection in water sources as well as factors hindering the detection of this parasite and shedding light on a promising new molecular assay for the diagnosis of Toxoplasma in environmental samples. Hopefully, this attempt will facilitate future approaches for better recovery, concentration, and detection of Toxoplasma oocysts in environmental waters.
authors.affiliation: Medical and Molecular Parasitology, University Clinics of Cologne, Center of Anatomy, Institute II, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str 9, 50937 Cologne, Germany. panagiotis.karanis@uk-koeln.de
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karanis
authors.forename: Hebatalla M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Aldeyarbi
authors.forename: Marzieh E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Mirhashemi
authors.forename: Khalil M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Khalil
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000469:parasitology; D033661:Oocysts / Q000254:growth & development*; D012623:Seawater / Q000469:parasitology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000254:growth & development*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*