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Part of the overall approach to controlling the risk of waterborne cryptosporidiosis is to improve analytical methods for detection. The microscopic technique which has been utilized and gradually improved over the past 15 years is still labor intensive, slow, expensive, and criticized for poor recovery and reproducibility (Simons et al, 2001). Furthermore, the currently used routine microscopic assay is still only capable of detecting the numbers of oocysts present. It provides no information on species, viability, or virulence of the detected oocysts. Research methods have been developed utilizing infection of cell lines to determine viability and virulence of oocysts in samples (Slifko et al, 1999; Rochelle et al, 2002). However the difficulties encountered with maintenance of sterile cell lines generally restricts use of the technique to the research setting. Two years ago the DuPont Qualicon Corporation, in association with the American Waterworks Service Company, developed and marketed an automated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection technique suitable for routine laboratory use. The Pittsburgh Water

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Edition: Vol. - No. Published: 11/01/2002 Number of Pages: 14File Size: 1 file , 270 KB