DNA Aptamers for the Recovery and Identification Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in Liquid Municipal Wastes

细小隐孢子虫是一种肠道原生动物寄生虫，可导致人类和许多动物严重腹泻，在感染者的粪便中释放大量卵囊，然后污染土壤、液体和固体废物。隐孢子虫引起了许多肠胃炎的爆发。在许多情况下，废水被排放到用于饮用水、娱乐和农业的水源中。由于**对人类健康的风险，加拿大卫生部建议定期监测饮用水处理**厂源水的卵囊浓度。然而，常规的免疫荧光显微镜卵囊浓度和检测方法回收率低或不稳定，耗时且需要高技能的实验室人员。本研究将有助于开发一种灵敏的基于适体体的电化学生物传感器方法，该方法可以检测和定量城市液体废物样品中的微小梭菌，并有助于减少病原体排放到水环境中。

Cryptosporidium parvum is an intestinal protozoan parasite that can cause severe diarrhea in humans and many**animals, release large numbers of oocysts (eggs) in the feces of those infected which then can contaminate soil,**liquid and solid wastes. Cryptosporidium has caused many outbreaks of gastroenteritis. In many cases**wastewater effluent is discharged into source waters used for drinking water, recreation and agriculture. Due to**the human health risk, it has been recommended by Health Canada to routinely monitor drinking water treatment**plant source waters for oocyst concentrations. However, routine methods for concentration and detection of the**oocysts with immunofluorescence microscopy have low or variable recovery rates, are time consuming and**require highly skilled lab personnel. This research will help in the development of a sensitive aptamer-based**electrochemical biosensor method which can detect and quantify C. parvum in samples of liquid municipal wastes**and can help to mitigate pathogen discharges into the water environment.