Development and Standardization of a Cryptosporidium Genotyping Tool for Water Samples

Results of preliminary studies have shown that with standardization, molecular tools can be used to differentiate the human infective Cryptosporidium species/genotypes in water from those that do not infect humans, and to track oocyst contamination to humans or specific groups of farm and wild animals. Such data would be necessary for accurate risk assessment, and for scientific management and protection of source water and watersheds. Specific products from this project include an extensive review of literature on genotyping of Cryptosporidium in water, the development of procedures for direct extraction of PCR-quality DNA from water concentrates for use in the analysis of multiple pathogens, the determination of an appropriate molecular tool (a SSU rRNA-based PCR-RFLP analysis) in the analysis of Cryptosporidium oocysts in water samples, the establishment of a set of procedures that ensure accurate acquisition, interpretation and reporting of genotyping data, better abilities to assess the public health importance and contamination sources of Cryptosporidium oocysts in water, and preliminary data on the distribution of Cryptosporidium genotypes in water.