title: The detection of Giardia cysts in a large-scale wastewater treatment plant in Hamburg, Germany.
abstract: Giardia is one of the most common human enteric parasites that continue to be a major cause of diarrheal disease globally. Wastewater is an important source of Giardia transmission, and control of the pathogen by appropriate treatment of wastewater would limit its transmission. In this study the occurrence of Giardia cysts at various stages of the wastewater treatment plants was monitored for a period of 18 mo. Using immunomagnetic separation and immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibodies, cysts were detected in all samples throughout the sampling period at a concentration ranging from 50 to 7548 cysts/L. The overall removal efficiency of the cysts in the treatment plants was 78%. Seasonal analyses of results revealed that the pathogens (cysts) were most prevalent in influents and effluents during autumn and winter.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Wastewater Management and Water Protection, Hamburg University of Technology, Hamburg, Germany. cajonin@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ajonina
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buzie
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Otterpohl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005858:Germany; D005872:Giardia / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D033761:Spores, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000469:parasitology*; D014871:Water Microbiology; D018508:Water Purification
chemical_list: D062065:Wastewater