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Occurrence and potential health risk of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in different water catchments in Belgium

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Abstract

Human wastewater and livestock can contribute to contamination of surface water with Cryptosporidium and Giardia. In countries where a substantial proportion of drinking water is produced from surface water, e.g., Belgium, this poses a constant threat on drinking water safety. Our objective was to monitor the presence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in different water catchment sites in Belgium and to discriminate between (oo)cysts from human or animal origin using genotyping. Monthly samples were collected from raw water and purified drinking water at four catchment sites. Cryptosporidium and Giardia were detected using USEPA method 1623 and positive samples were genotyped. No contamination was found in purified water at any site. In three catchments, only low numbers of (oo)cysts were recovered from raw water samples (<1/liter), but raw water samples from one catchment site were frequently contaminated with Giardia (92 %) and Cryptosporidium (96 %), especially in winter and spring. Genotyping of Giardia in 38 water samples identified the presence of Giardia duodenalis assemblage AI, AII, BIV, BIV-like, and E. Cryptosporidium andersoni, Cryptosporidium suis, Cryptosporidium horse genotype, Cryptosporidium parvum, and Cryptosporidium hominis were detected. The genotyping results suggest that agriculture may be a more important source of surface water contamination than human waste in this catchment. In catchment sites with contaminated surface water, such as the Blankaart, continuous monitoring of treated water for the presence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia would be justified and (point) sources of surface water contamination should be identified.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a doctoral scholarship for candidates from developing countries from Ghent University (Grant No. 01W05309). The authors would like to thank the Royal Meteorological Institute for providing daily rainfall data.

Conflict of interest

J. Paulussen, L. De Coster, and T. Schoemaker are (former) employees of The Water Group, a Belgian water supply company which owns the sampled catchment sites. The employees of the Watergroup were involved in sampling and in writing of the manuscript. T. Geurden is currently employed by Zoetis, a veterinary pharmaceutical company.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Parasitology, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium

    Amimul Ehsan, Thomas Geurden, Stijn Casaert, Grietje Grit, Jozef Vercruysse & Edwin Claerebout

  2. The Water Group, Central Laboratory, Heverlee, Belgium

    Jef Paulussen, Lut De Coster & Toon Schoemaker

  3. Cryptosporidium Reference Unit, Singleton Hospital, Swansea, UK

    Rachel Chalmers

  4. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

    Amimul Ehsan

  5. Zoetis, Veterinary Medicine and Development, Zaventem, Belgium

    Thomas Geurden

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  1. Amimul Ehsan
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  2. Thomas Geurden
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Ehsan, A., Geurden, T., Casaert, S. et al. Occurrence and potential health risk of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in different water catchments in Belgium. Environ Monit Assess 187, 6 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-4157-z

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