Performance evaluation of different methodologies for detection of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. in water for human consumption to meet the demands of the Environmental Health Surveillance in Brazil

Objective: this study aimed to evaluate three different concentration protocols of cysts and oocysts in raw water samples in Brazilian rivers. Methods: the protocols studied were chemical precipitation, filtration in membranes of 47mm of diameter versus nominal porosity of 3 mu m and filtration using Filta-Max (R) system. The raw water samples collected from rivers in the states of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais were analyzed after being seeded with Color-Seed (R). The results of initial precision using filtration in membranes and recovery of Color-Seed (R) organisms were compared to the acceptance criteria established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Results: the study of initial precision to Giardia using filtration in membranes and recovery of Color-Seed (R) met the USEPA criteria; for Cryptosporidium only the Filta-Max (R) achieved the established criteria. Conclusion: Filta-Max (R) system showed to be the only method that achieved all the performance criteria for identification of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in water.