RISK OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM INFECTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH WASTEWATER REUSE

摘要

The increased need for wastewater reuse has focused attention on the potential of wastewater treatment processes to reduce the numbers of pathogenic organisms to acceptable levels. It is estimated that 1.7 billion gallons per day are reused in at least 27 states in the US. A public health concern with reusing wastewater is the risk of transmitting infectious agents originating from human and animal feces. Depending upon the diseases present in the contributing communities, wastewaters may contain varying numbers of pathogenic organisms including viruses, bacteria, helminths and protozoa. Protozoan parasites of major public health significance include Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia intestinalis (= lamblia = duodenalis) and Cryptosporidium species (Straub et al, 1993).