Tanush Wadhawan 2013

Fellow: Tanush Wadhawan
Adviser: Eakalak Khan and John McEvoy

Investigation of Cryptosporidium oocysts in Influent and Effluent of the Fargo Water Treatment Plant

Since 1999, the Center for Disease Control has been monitoring the number of reported cases of cryptosporidiosis in the United States. The average annual number of reported cases for North Dakota 23 with 2007 being the year with the highest number of cases (78 cases). The majority of the cases for 2007 were reported in June and July, of those, 6 people reported swimming in lakes in North Dakota. Studies have been conducted to determine the presence of Cryptosporidium in the Red River and its tributaries during the flooding of 2009 and 2010. Sixty nine percent of water samples collected during the flood of 2009 and 82% sample of 2010 were found to be positive for Cryptosporidium. This high prevalence of Cryptosporidium in water samples can be accounted for the presence of animals in or around the sampling area. Two studies concluded the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in 20.3% and 8.9% of the animals tested in North Dakota. The high prevalence of Cryptosporidium in North Dakota and their high potency to infect humans requires us to understand transport of Cryptosporidium into surface waters during spring thaw. This information will help in risk assessment and development of control practices.

Our previous studies showed that clayey soils and manure applied to soil drastically increased the adsorption of Cryptosporidium. In addition, we also found higher transport of oocysts occurred during a snowmelt event compared to a rain fall event.

Our data from a different project suggested that there might be seasonal changes in the concentration and type of Cryptosporidium oocysts present in the Red River of the North. Water samples collected during 2009 and 2010 spring flooding were 69.23% and 82.35% positive for Cryptosporidium, respectively. It is important to know the concentration and types of oocysts entering the Fargo Water Treatment Plant.

The main scope of this project is to investigate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in a drinking water system. The specific objectives of the proposed studies are as follows:

1. To quantify the amount of Cryptosporidium oocysts in the influent and effluent of the Fargo Water Treatment Plant.
2. To perform molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium oocysts in the influent and effluent of the Fargo Water Treatment Plant.