DETECTION AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM SPP. AND GIARDIA SPP. IN A PUBLIC WATER-TREATMENT SYSTEM
Autor(es): Jonatas campos de Almeida, Felippe Danyel Cardoso Martins, José Maurício Ferreira Neto, Maíra Moreira dos Santos, João Luis Garcia, Italmar Teodorico Navarro, Emília Kiyomi Kuroda, Roberta Lemos Freire
DETECTION AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM SPP. AND GIARDIA SPP. IN A PUBLIC WATER-TREATMENT SYSTEM
» Área de pesquisa: PROTOZOOLOGIA
» Instituição: Universidade Estadual de Londrina
» Agência de fomento e patrocinadores: CNPQ, Fundação Araucária
Water is one of the main sources of pathogens that cause diseases in the population. Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. have a great infective capacity of causing disease in human and animal health and both parasites are resistant to conventional water treatment. The purpose of this study was to detect the occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. in a public water treatment system located in Londrina city, Southern Brazil. Samples of raw (30 L) and treated water (100 L) were collected every two weeks in a year. The samples were examined using the membrane filtration technique with Direct immunofluorescence for Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts, was also performed the DNA extraction on the samples using a commercial kit. The DNA extracted was submitted to nested-PCR reaction (n-PCR). In the immunofluorescence, 2/24 (8.33%) samples of raw water were positive for Giardia spp. In n-PCR, 6/24 (25%) samples of raw water were positive for Giardia spp., and 2/24 (8.33%) samples were positive for Cryptosporidium spp. In treated water, 1/24 (4.16%) of the samples was positive for Giardia spp. The sequencing showed C. parvum DNA in both samples of raw water. G. duodenalis DNA was identified after sequencing in two samples of raw water. Three samples of raw and one of treated water were positive for the presence of Giardia spp. After sequencing, DNA was found that confirmed the presence of the environmental bacteria Nakamurella multipartita. There was moderate correlation among turbidity, color and the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. in raw water and between turbidity and the presence of Giardia spp in raw water. The n-PCR proved to be a highly sensitive technique for the diagnosis of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. The presence of these protozoans in the water supply indicates the need for monitoring for water treatment companies.
