Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Natural, Drinking, and Recreational Water of Northwestern Greece

• Published in: Acta Hydrochimica et Hydrobiologica Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 49 - 58
• Main Authors: Karanis, Panagiotis, Papadopoulou, Chrysanthi, Kimura, Akio, Economou, Evagelos, Kourenti, Christina, Sakkas, Heracles
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH 01-07-2002; WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH; Wiley-VCH
• Subjects: Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Continental surface waters; Drinking water and swimming-pool water. Desalination; Environment. Living conditions; Exact sciences and technology; Flusswasser; Greece, Aoos R; Greece, Arachthos R; Greece, Kalamas R; Greece, Louros R; Greece, Pamvotis Ioannina L; Greece, Voidomatis R; Krankheitserreger; Lake Water; Medical sciences; Natural water pollution; Oocyst; Oozyste; Parasit; Parasite; Pathogen; Pollution; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; River Water; Seewasser; Water treatment and pollution; Greece; Europe; Greece, Ipeiros, Arachthos R; Greece, Ipeiros, Kalamas R; Greece, Ipeiros, Louros R; Greece, Ipeiros, Ioannina, Pamvotis L; Greece, Ipeiros, Voidomatis R; Greece, Ipeiros, Aoos R; Protozoa; Cryptosporidium; Drinking water; Apicomplexa; Parasite; Diplomonadida; Oocyst; Giardia lamblia; Pathogenic; Surface water; Cyst; Water quality; Water pollution; Bathing
• ISSN: 0323-4320; 1521-401X
• DOI: 10.1002/1521-401X(200207)30:1<49::AID-AHEH49>3.0.CO;2-R

An investigation about distribution of Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts in natural, drinking, and recreational water in Northwestern Greece was performed. Five rivers (Aoos, Arachthos, Kalamas, Louros, and Voidomatis) and one lake (Pamvotis Ioannina Lake) in Northwestern Greece were investigated during a 10‐month period. Drinking and recreational water (swimming pools) from the area were also examined. Samples were collected from prefixed sampling stations and processed following a modification of standard methods for the microbiological examination of water, as suggested by the APHA/AWWA/WEF. Both Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts were isolated from Pamvotis Ioannina Lake (15 positive/27 examined samples). Significantly lower numbers of Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in Arachthos River (1/5), Voidomatis River (1/5), drinking water (1/7), and pool water samples (1/9). No Giardia cysts were detected, neither in river water, nor in drinking, and pool water samples. The results clearly show that, with the exception of Pamvotis Ioannina Lake, where contamination of high level was observed, natural water sources of the investigated area have low pollution, resulting in low contamination with parasites.
Cryptosporidium und Giardia in Roh‐, Trink‐ und Schwimmbadwasser in Nord‐West‐Griechenland
Es wurden Untersuchungen über das Vorkommen von Giardia‐Zysten und Cryptosporidium‐um‐Oozysten in Roh‐, Trink‐ und Schwimmbadwasser in Nord‐West‐Griechenland durchgeführt. Fünf Flüsse (Aoos, Arachthos, Kalamas, Louros und Voidomatis) und ein See (Pamvotis) wurden in einen Zeitraum von 10 Monaten untersucht. Es wurden auch Trink‐ und Schwimmbadwasserproben entnommen und untersucht. Die Proben wurden in ausgewählten Stationen entnommen und mit einer modifizierten Standardmethode (APHA/ AWWA/WEF) für die mikrobiologische Untersuchung des Wassers verarbeitet. Sowohl Giardia‐Zysten als auch Cryptosporidium‐Oozysten wurden aus dem Pamvotis Ioannina See isoliert (15 positive/27 untersuchte Proben). Deutlich niedrigere Konzentrationen von Cryptosporidium‐Oozysten wurden in Arachthos (1/5), Voidomatis (1/5), Trink‐ (1/7) und Schwimmbadwasser (1/9) nachgewiesen. Keine Giardia‐Zyste wurde in Fluss‐ und Trinkwasser oder in Schwimmbädern gefunden. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eindeutig, dass mit Ausnahme vom Pamvotis Ioannina See, wo hohe Kontaminationen beobachtet wurden, Rohwasserquellen aus dem untersuchten Gebiet leicht belastet und mit Parasiten kontaminiert sind.