ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Existence and Removal of Rotaviruses Group A
and Cryptosporidium Species in a Wastewater
Treatment Plant
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1
Environmental Virology Lab, Water Pollution Research Department, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt
2
Environmental Parasitology Lab, Water Pollution Research Department, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt
Submission date: 2018-07-24
Final revision date: 2018-09-13
Acceptance date: 2018-09-24
Online publication date: 2019-08-01
Publication date: 2019-09-17
Corresponding author
Mahmoud Gad
National Research Centre, 33 El Buhouth St., 12622 Dokki, Egypt
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2019;28(6):4331-4339
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ABSTRACT
Rotavirus group A (RV-A) and Cryptosporidium spp. are recognized as important pathogens
causing gastroenteritis, even with very low doses in all age groups and representing a public health
risk. Seventy-two wastewater samples were collected and concentrated for detecting Cryptosporidium
spp. and RV-A. PCR was performed for identification of genus Cryptosporidium using generic primers
and species specific primers for Cryptosporidium parvum / Cryptosporidium hominis. Multiplex seminested
RT-PCR was performed to identify the genotypes P and G of RV-A. Our findings showed that
the rotavirus genome was detected in 29 (40.3%) out of 72 analyzed wastewater samples. Rotavirus
rates in raw wastewater samples were higher (47.2%) than those detected in treated wastewater (33.3%).
Cryptosporidium was found in 33.3% of 72 tested wastewater samples. All Cryptosporidium-positivesamples
were related to Cryptosporidium parvum. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium parvum in
influents and effluents reached 41.7% and 25%, respectively. The removal rates of rotavirus and
Cryptosporidium parvum in the examined WWTP were 29.4% and 40%, respectively. The largest
percentage of positive rotavirus in raw wastewater samples was detected in winter (77.8%), followed
by 66.7% in autumn. Three P types and two G types of RV-A strains were identified in wastewater
samples. The most prevalent types of RV-A strains in raw and treated sewage samples were G1 and P[8]
genotypes. In conclusion, wastewater treatment processes, including a trickling filter, were not sufficient
to eliminate several RV-A strains and Cryptosporidium parvum, leading to the potential release of these
pathogens from domestic sewage into water sources.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.