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Cryptosporidium and Giardia detection in environmental waters of southwest coastal areas of Thailand

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate water samples collected in coastal areas of Southern Thailand in the years of 2005 and 2008 for their contamination by the protozoan parasites Cryptosporidium and Giardia. One hundred eighteen water samples of different origin were collected from six Tsunami affected southern provinces of Thailand in early 2005, and they have been analyzed using standardized methodology. Fifteen out of 118 samples (12.7%) were positive for Cryptosporidium spp. and nine (7.6%) positive for Giardia spp. Additional 42 samples from two same areas were examined 3 years later, in the early 2008. Five out of 42 (11.9%) samples were positive for Cryptosporidium spp., and three out of 42 (7.1%) were positive for Giardia spp.. Both protozoans were found in reservoir, river/canal, and pond waters. It appears no significant differences (p < 0.05) between Cryptosporidium and Giardia (oo)cysts levels during the two monitoring periods; however, the number of the investigated areas and samples in the second period was significantly less than in the first period. This is the first description on Cryptosporidium and Giardia (oo)cysts in water sources of Thailand, and it suggests the need for water quality control in the interest of public health safety.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Public Utilities Board, Singapore for supplying some materials for parasite testing. We are also indebted to Mr. Sumetha Wichienpet, Director of Emergency Response and Remediation Division, Pollution Control Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand; Dr. Raywadee Roachankanan, Faculty of Environment and Resources, Mahidol University for their assistance with field water sampling; and to Dr. Kittipong Harncharoen and Dr. Dusit Sujirarat, Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University for their assistance with the statistical analyses. This work was partially funded by the DAAD, Germany, by institutional funds of the Anatomy Center in Cologne University, by the Thai government on the health aspect of the Tsunami disaster in Thailand and partially supported for publication by the China Medical Board, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University.

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Correspondence to Mayuna Srisuphanunt.

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Srisuphanunt, M., Karanis, P., Charoenca, N. et al. Cryptosporidium and Giardia detection in environmental waters of southwest coastal areas of Thailand. Parasitol Res 106, 1299–1306 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-010-1795-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-010-1795-0

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