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Environmental Inactivation of Cryptosporidium parvum Oocysts in Waste Stabilization Ponds

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Abstract

The survival of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in a waste stabilization pond system in northwestern Spain and the effects of sunlight and the depth and type of pond on oocyst viability were evaluated using an assay based on the exclusion or inclusion of two fluorogenic vital dyes, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and propidium iodide (PI). All tested factors had significant effects (P < 0.01) over time on C. parvum oocyst viability. Sunlight exposure was the most influential factor for oocyst inactivation. A 40% reduction was observed after 4 days exposure to sunlight conditions compared with dark conditions. The type of pond also caused a significant reduction in C. parvum oocyst viability (P < 0.01). Inactivation rates reflected that the facultative pond was the most aggressive environment for oocysts placed both at the surface (presence of sunlight) and at the bottom (absence of sunlight) of the pond, followed by the maturation pond and the anaerobic pond. The mean inactivation rates of oocysts in the ponds ranged from 0.0159 to 0.3025 day−1.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the Castilla and León Institute for Agricultural Technology (ITACyL) under contract LE-02-2005 entitled “Health Risks in Using Waste Water in Agriculture”. We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of Professor A.M. Grimason, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Strathclyde for constructive comments and critical review of the manuscript. We would also like to thank Natalia Reinoso for her technical assistance during this project. R. Reinoso was funded by the University of León.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Research Institute, University of León, La Serna 58, 24007, León, Spain

    Roberto Reinoso

  2. Department of Ecology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of León, 24071, León, Spain

    Eloy Bécares

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  1. Roberto Reinoso
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  2. Eloy Bécares
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Correspondence to Roberto Reinoso.

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Reinoso, R., Bécares, E. Environmental Inactivation of Cryptosporidium parvum Oocysts in Waste Stabilization Ponds. Microb Ecol 56, 585–592 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-008-9378-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-008-9378-7

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