General information about the project

No. Project: 237/01.10.2015 with ID PN-II-RU-TE-2014-4-1300

Title

Survey of water – borne zoonotic Cryptosporidium and Giardia in natural surface waters from Western Romania: is there a risk of infection? 

Summary

The effects of global warming induce the reduction of drinking water supplies, worldwide. This concern, together with the continuous increasing of the presence of contaminants and emerging pathogens including Cryptosporidium and Giardia, leading to water-borne diseases, is one of the most challenging problems currently facing several middle and east European countries, including Romania. In our country, no information on the monitor of presence and species identification of Cryptosporidium and Giardia isolates from aquatic environment is available. In this project three main objectives were established: (i) to provide valuable data on the occurrence and extent of contamination with Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts of natural surface water samples (rivers, tributaries, fountains, springs) being water sources from Western Romania; (ii) to determine the potential impact of water-borne Cryptosporidium and Giardia on animal and public health and (iii) to develop and to implement of effective control strategies in water-borne cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis. We expect to setting up an operational Romanian network for prevention of waterborne cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis. Results obtained will be communicated in scientific national and international meetings, published in national and international scientific journals and discussed with the national Public and Veterinary Health Authorities.

Team members

Project leader: Dr. IMRE Kálmán

Senior researchers: Dr. SALA Claudia, Dr. MORAR Adriana, Dr. ILIE Marius Stelian

Postdoctoral researcher: Dr. IMRE Mirela

PhD. students: BADEA Corina, HORA Florin

Contact us: Telephone: +40256277186, E-mail adress: watercrygia@gmail.com

Home institution  Name: Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania” from Timişoara, Romania, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Production and Veterinary Public Health Adress: Timișoara, Calea Aradului No. 119, Postal code: 300645, Romania

Domain: Main Research Area: Veterinary Medicine Second research Area: Veterinary Public Health

Keywords: water, Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Western Romania

Objectives

The main goal of the project is to generate prevention and control approaches against water-borne cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis, on the basis of the identification of sources of the water origin Cryptosporidium and Giardia infection and the precise identification of the parasite at species and/or genotype, subtype and assemblage level. Recognising the importance of the emerging water-borne cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis, and the need for more information on the risks that it poses for both human and animals, three main objectives were established:

• The first major objective in the framework of this project is to provide valuable data on the occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts in natural surface water samples (raw water) from selected sampling sites in Western Romania.
• The second major objective is to determine the potential impact of water-borne Cryptosporidium and Giardia on animal and public health on the basis of:

– setting the contamination level of natural surface waters with Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts; – characterization of the genetic structure of Cryptosporidium and Giardia isolates from water in order to distinguish anthroponotic parasites from zoonotic parasites; – a comprehensive understanding of Cryptosporidium and Giardia circulation in surface waters;

• The third major objective of this project is to develop and to implement of effective control strategies in water-borne cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis supported by the establishment of the effective communication networks between the multidisciplinary team of the project, water authorities, health departments including veterinarians, public health officials and health care practitioners and laboratories or research teams in the field located in other European countries.

This last objective constitute one of the most original aspects of the project.

Project value: 550.000 lei

Duration of the project: 1 October 2015 – 30 September 2017

Project suported by UEFISCDI – www.uefiscdi.ro