Does each bead count? A reduced-cost approach for recovering waterborne protozoa from challenge water using immunomagnetic separation

Abstract Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. are two of the most prominent aetiological agents waterborne diseases. Therefore, efficient affordable methodologies for identifying quantifying these parasites in water increasingly necessary. USEPA Method 1623.1 is a widely used validated protocol detecting samples. It consists concentration step, followed by parasite purification visualization immunofluorescence microscopy. Although efficient, this method has high cost particularly due to immunomagnetic separation (IMS) which needed with complex highly contaminated Based on this, present study aimed determine whether it possible maintain efficiency while reducing amount beads per reaction, using as matrix challenge recommended World Health Organization. As cysts, satisfactory recovery (RE) was obtained 50% less IMS beads. This evaluated both commercial cyst suspension (56.1% recovery) an analytical quality assessment (47.5% recovery). RE rates parvum did not meet criteria any experimental conditions tested, results presented paper indicated relevance described adaptations, even water.