APPLICATION OF FLOW CYTOMETRIC METHODS FOR THE ROUTINE DETECTION OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM AND GIARDIA IN WATER

Cryptosporidium and Giardia are common causes of waterborne disease. T he currently used methods of detecting these organisms in water rely o n filtration capture, immunofluorescence labelling, and epifluorescenc e microscopy; These methods are inefficient, labour intensive, and req uire a highly skilled microscopist. We describe an alternative techniq ue using flocculation concentration, followed by flow cytometry with f luorescence activated cell sorting. Environmental samples were analyse d, and protozoan-like particles were sorted and collected before confi rmation with epifluorescence microscopy. The technique was found to be significantly more sensitive and considerably faster than the convent ional methods. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.