Cryptosporidium and Giardia (oo)cyst concentrations are frequently used for assessing drinking water safety. The widely used USEPA Method 1623 provides total counts of (oo)cysts, but may not be accurate for human health risk characterization, since it does not provide infectivity information. The total counts and infectious fraction of Cryptosporidium oocysts and the total counts of Giardia cysts were assessed in major fecal pollution sources. Fresh calf and cow feces, their manure, and the discharge point were sampled in a small rural sub-watershed (n = 20, 21, 10, 10). Median concentrations for total (oo)cysts were higher in calves (333 oocysts g−1; 111 cysts g−1) than in cows (52 oocysts g−1; 7 cysts g−1). Infectious oocysts were found in 17 (7%) of the samples and none were found in manure or at the discharge point. Urban sources were sampled in the influent and effluent (n = 19, 18) of two wastewater treatment plants. Peak concentrations were 533 oocysts L−1 and 9,010 cysts L−1 for influents and 89 oocysts L−1 and 472 cysts L−1 for effluents. Infectious oocyst fractions varied from below the detection limit to 7–22% in the effluent and influent respectively. These infectious fractions are significantly lower than those currently used for quantitative microbial risk assessment estimates.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Research Article|
October 14 2011
Total and infectious Cryptosporidium oocyst and total Giardia cyst concentrations from distinct agricultural and urban contamination sources in Eastern Canada
Cindy Lalancette;
Cindy Lalancette
1Département des Génies Civil, Géologique et des Mines, École Polytechnique de Montréal, Chaire Industrielle CRSNG en Eau Potable, CP 6079, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal (Québec), Canada H3C 3A7
Search for other works by this author on:
Mylène Généreux;
Mylène Généreux
2Institut de Recherche et de Développement en Agroenvironnement, 3300 Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada J2S 7C6
Search for other works by this author on:
Jacinthe Mailly;
Jacinthe Mailly
1Département des Génies Civil, Géologique et des Mines, École Polytechnique de Montréal, Chaire Industrielle CRSNG en Eau Potable, CP 6079, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal (Québec), Canada H3C 3A7
Search for other works by this author on:
Pierre Servais;
Pierre Servais
3Écologie des Systèmes Aquatiques, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus de la Plaine, CP 221, Boulevard du Triomphe, B-1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
Search for other works by this author on:
Caroline Côté;
Caroline Côté
2Institut de Recherche et de Développement en Agroenvironnement, 3300 Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada J2S 7C6
Search for other works by this author on:
Aubert Michaud;
Aubert Michaud
4Institut de Recherche et de Développement en Agroenvironnement, 2700 rue Einstein, Sainte-Foy, Québec, Canada G1P 3W8
Search for other works by this author on:
George D. Di Giovanni;
George D. Di Giovanni
5Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University System, Texas AgriLife Research Center at El Paso, 1380 A&M Circle, El Paso, TX 79927-5020, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Michèle Prévost
1Département des Génies Civil, Géologique et des Mines, École Polytechnique de Montréal, Chaire Industrielle CRSNG en Eau Potable, CP 6079, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal (Québec), Canada H3C 3A7
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for other works by this author on:
J Water Health (2012) 10 (1): 147–160.
Article history
Received:
April 15 2011
Accepted:
August 07 2011
Citation
Cindy Lalancette, Mylène Généreux, Jacinthe Mailly, Pierre Servais, Caroline Côté, Aubert Michaud, George D. Di Giovanni, Michèle Prévost; Total and infectious Cryptosporidium oocyst and total Giardia cyst concentrations from distinct agricultural and urban contamination sources in Eastern Canada. J Water Health 1 March 2012; 10 (1): 147–160. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wh.2011.049
Download citation file: