Usefulness of Sunlight and Artificial UV Radiation Versus Chlorine for the Inactivation of Cryptosporidium Oocysts: An in Vivo Animal Study

Authors

  • Amany Soliman Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo
  • Azza El-Adawy Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo; Department of Medical Parasitology, Armed Forces College of Medicine, Cairo
  • Amany A. Abd El-Aal Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo; Department of Medical Parasitology, Armed Forces College of Medicine, Cairo
  • Marwa A. Elmallawany Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo
  • Reham K. Nahnoush Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo
  • Asmaa R. Abd Eiaghni Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo
  • Mohamed Sherif Negm Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University
  • Amira Mohsen Community Medicine Department, National Research Centre, Cairo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2018.180

Keywords:

Cryptosporidium, Sunlight, Ultraviolet, Chlorine, Inactivation

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Cryptosporidium is an important waterborne protozoan.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sunlight being the natural source of UV and artificial UV irradiation on Cryptosporidium oocysts versus the effect of chlorination, being the traditional method of water disinfection and to provide an insight into the viability and degree of infectivity of Cryptosporidium oocysts, using an animal model.

METHODS: An experimental study including 300 neonatal mice was carried out to investigate the effect of artificial ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and sunlight being the natural source of UV irradiation versus chlorine, the traditionally used water disinfectant on the infectivity of Cryptosporidium oocysts present in water. For each item, nine different exposure times were investigated. Parasitological assessment (Modified Ziehl Neelsen stained stool smears) and histopathological assessment of the excised segments of the small intestine (stained by both Haematoxylin & Eosin and ZN stain) of mice were used to verify the inactivation of oocysts.

RESULTS: Cryptosporidium oocysts failed to induce any noticeable infection after 4 hours of artificial UV exposure that provided a UV dose of 10mJ/cm2 and after an 8 hours exposure to sunlight, whereas they showed resistance to disinfection by chlorine.

CONCLUSION: The results of the study demonstrate the important role of an 8 hours sunlight exposure of potable water in plastic bottles in achieving complete inactivation of any contaminating Cryptosporidium oocysts, thus offering an applicable, economical and convenient method for the control of cryptosporidiosis especially in developing countries.

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Published

2018-06-10

How to Cite

1.
Soliman A, El-Adawy A, Abd El-Aal AA, Elmallawany MA, Nahnoush RK, Abd Eiaghni AR, Negm MS, Mohsen A. Usefulness of Sunlight and Artificial UV Radiation Versus Chlorine for the Inactivation of Cryptosporidium Oocysts: An in Vivo Animal Study. Open Access Maced J Med Sci [Internet]. 2018 Jun. 10 [cited 2024 Mar. 28];6(6):975-81. Available from: https://oamjms.eu/index.php/mjms/article/view/oamjms.2018.180

Issue

Section

A - Basic Science

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