ABSTRACT

Cryptosporidium spp. are protozoa which only live in a host cell and may cause an infection that may result in the death of people with immune deficiency. It is known that Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium hominis infections may be spread by contaminated well and tap waters. The facts that there is no certain and reliable cure and that the organisms may be found asymptomatically in the healthy people increases the importance of cryptosporidiosis. Our study has been performed in the city of Mersin and surrounding areas. A total of 100 samples of water were taken from taps (44 samples), wells (2 samples), the sea (35 samples) and sewage (19 samples) to investigate the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts. Cryptosporidium oocysts have been detected in 5 samples of tap water, one sample of well water, one sample of sea water and 4 samples of sewage water.

Keywords: Cryptosporidium, oocyst, tap water, well water, seawater, sewage water