Seasonality of Cryptosporidium oocyst detection in surface waters of Meru, Kenya as determined by two isolation methods followed by PCR
- 1 October 2008
- journal article
- Published by IWA Publishing in Journal of Water and Health
- Vol. 7 (1), 67-75
- https://doi.org/10.2166/wh.2009.109
Abstract
Meru, Kenya has watersheds which are shared by wildlife, humans and domesticated animals. These surface waters can be contaminated by the waterborne pathogen Cryptosporidium. To quantify the seasonality and prevalence of Cryptosporidium in Meru regional surface waters, we used a calcium carbonate flocculation (CCF) and sucrose floatation method, and a filtration and immunomagnetic bead separation method, each of which used PCR for Cryptosporidium detection and genotyping. Monthly water samples were collected from January through June in 2003 and 2004, bracketing two April-May rainy seasons. We detected significant seasonality with 8 of 9 positive samples from May and June (p<0.0014), which followed peak rainy season precipitation and includes some of the subsequent dry season. Six of 9 positive samples revealed C. parvum, and 3 contained C. andersoni. None contained C. hominis. Our results indicate that Meru surface waters are Cryptosporidium-contaminated at the end of rainy seasons, consistent with the timing of human infections reported by others from East Africa and contrasting with the onset of rainy season peak incidence reported from West Africa.Keywords
This publication has 32 references indexed in Scilit:
- Climate change and waterborne and vector-borne diseaseJournal of Applied Microbiology, 2003
- Contamination of water supplies with Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia and diarrheal illness in selected Russian citiesInternational Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 2002
- Genetic Analysis of a Cryptosporidium parvum Human Genotype 1 Isolate Passaged through Different Host SpeciesInfection and Immunity, 2002
- Cryptosporidiosis: biology, pathogenesis and diseaseMicrobes and Infection, 2002
- Risk and control of waterborne cryptosporidiosisFEMS Microbiology Reviews, 2002
- PCR Detection of Specific Pathogens in Water: A Risk-Based AnalysisEnvironmental Science & Technology, 2002
- Seven years' experience withCryptosporidium parvumin Guinea-Bissau, West AfricaPaediatrics and International Child Health, 2001
- Possible undetected outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis in areas of the north west of England supplied by an unfiltered surface water source.2001
- Development of a nested-PCR assay for the detection of cryptosporidium parvum in finished waterWater Research, 2001
- Detection of theCryptosporidium parvum“Human” Genotype in a Dugong (Dugong dugon)Journal of Parasitology, 2000