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What’s New in Cryptosporidium

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What’s New in Cryptosporidium
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In July 2022 the What’s New in Cryptosporidium meeting is being held in Swansea, UK, bringing together researchers across the breadth of Cryptosporidium research.


Cryptosporidium is a very common cause of gastroenteritis in the UK and one of the most important contributors to the burden of childhood diarrhoea morbidity and mortality globally. It is an organism of interest to those working in clinical, industrial, veterinary and agricultural settings and recent outbreaks have highlighted the lack of awareness of current guidance around Cryptosporidium. This one-and-a-half-day meeting will bring these strands together and feature a varied programme of renowned invited speakers and offered paper presenters, showcasing the latest research.


Following the meeting, attendees are invited to submit their research to this collection – guest edited by Angharad Davies. 

This collection will cover original research, insight reviews on topics such as the clinical impact of Cryptosporidium, a meeting report and position papers.


If you are an early career researcher, and would like to gain editorial experience – we are also happy to discuss ECM editorial roles, to observe the handling process, provide peer review reports and handle papers themselves – please contact Dalia Nikadon at [email protected].


Image credit: Guy Robinson, Public Health Wales

Collection Contents

1 result

    • A comparison of qPCR and microscopy for the detection and enumeration of oocysts from drinking water

      presents one of the main waterborne public health threats due to its resistance to chlorine disinfection and ability to cause large-scale outbreaks. The standard method used in the UK water industry for detection and enumeration of is based on fluorescence microscopy and is laborious and expensive. Molecular methods such as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) can be more amenable to streamlining through automation, improving workflows and standardizing procedures.

      The null hypothesis was that there was no difference in the detection or enumeration between the standard method and a qPCR.

      We aimed to develop and evaluate a qPCR for the detection and enumeration of in drinking water, and to compare the assay with the standard method used in the UK.

      We first developed and evaluated a qPCR method by incorporating an internal amplification control and calibration curve into a real-time PCR currently used for genotyping. Then we compared the qPCR assay with the standard method of immunofluorescent microscopy for the detection and enumeration of 10 and 100 oocysts in 10 l of artificially contaminated drinking water.

      The results demonstrated that detection of by this qPCR was reliable at low numbers of oocysts; however, enumeration was less reliable and more variable than immunofluorescence microscopy.

      Despite these results, qPCR offers practical advantages over microscopy. There is potential for the use of PCR-based methods for analysis if parts of the upstream sample preparation are revised, and alternative technologies for enumeration (such as digital PCR) are also explored to improve analytical sensitivity.

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