laboratory GOlab-Gamaser A microfluorescence technique is being applied to detect the presence of the parasitic protozoan Cryptosporidium parvum – the very technique that led to the park’s Central Park fountains being shut down this summer – and “solve the problem before it reaches people” because It can cause gastrointestinal infections.
“We always choose prevention over corrective action, which is why we conducted this study,” explained Juan Francisco Maestre, Global Omnium Services Director.
Maestre emphasized that the GOlab-Gamaser laboratory at the Global Omnium Technology Center in Patna (Valencia) The first private laboratory for water protozoa testing recognized by a national accreditation agency. “We’ve had calls from a number of entities trying to detect this protozoa or see where it is so we can address this problem before it affects humans,” he said.
“In his day, we saw that there were A protozoa, Cryptosporidium, may cause problems And, although there is currently no requirement to measure it regularly in water, we do find its detection very interesting because it can have effects such as gastroenteritis in humans and is not controlled,” the expert said.
Global Omnium’s services director said Cryptosporidium lives in water and with the drought “it seems to be more dense than before”. He commented that without good disinfection systems, “this parasite can get into drinking water” and cause cases of gastroenteritis, “as has happened in several cities.”
Taking Valencia Central Park as an example, in July this year, the fountains were preventively closed due to the presence of parasitic protozoa. “Ponds used by the public can be disinfected. This has even been detected in the drinking water networks of some cities,” he explained.
“We always want to catch problems before they affect populations. This is a native animal that’s somewhat unknown, but now, with this method, we can know which waters might have it.”
Fluorescence technology
Guadalupe Sastre, Head of Development, Microbiology Division, Global Omnium explains The process of detecting Cryptosporidium in water using fluorescence microscopy in the GOlab – Gamaserm laboratory provides results within 48 to 72 hours.
“Being able to visualize it under a microscope to assess and quantify the amount of Cryptosporidium in a 100-liter water sample is a pretty arduous process,” Sastre said, noting the importance of finding focus when an outbreak occurs. importance. Prevent “the pathogen from continuing to spread to other people.
The researchers passed 100 liters of water samples through filters smaller than the size of Cryptosporidium parvum. Then, through a series of centrifugation processes, the sample enters the next stage of immunocapture, which uses spherical iron balls with antibodies on their surface that specifically bind to the antigen presented on their surface, namely Cryptosporidium parvum.
Therefore, only Cryptosporidium was isolated. Then, using some fluorochrome dye, the fluorescent-colored Cryptosporidium cells can be seen.
health problems
Ester Méndez, Head of Innovation in the Services Area at Global Omnium, elaborates on this Cryptosporidium is a protozoan that lives in water and when people ingest it, it can cause infection in the intestines, causing diarrhea and vomiting.
Mendez warns that if immunosuppressed people or older people with weaker defenses become infected, “they may develop some spin-off complications.” In fact, he noted, “One disease is respiratory dose cryptography, which is usually occurs in such immunosuppressed people,” in which the parasite “not only appears in the gastrointestinal tract; Enter the respiratory tract.
“Until appropriate treatments are put in place to cut off the transmission route, the parasite remains alive,” Mendez said. “Before regulations require it, we find out if there is a health problem and then try to adapt our technology to identify it,” he said. Such pathogens.”
The presence of this protozoa does not have to be controlled continuously, but rather when other conditions occur, such as the presence of other bacteria and turbidity of the water. “We always try to get ahead of these situations before regulations require us to identify a pathogen,” he commented, before adding that they are “ready to help” if health authorities encounter such issues.