Waterborne parasitic diseases: New emerging risks

In recent decades years, hygienists and microbiologists have implemented health equipment and rules to protect population health. These public health policies have been effective in controlling the fecal peril, and particularly bacterial infections. In industrial countries, waterborne viruses and protozoan parasites are a new emerging risk. Parasite density in surface water or drinking water is now being studied with rapid detection methods for Cryptosporidium and Giardia. We are developing new techniques for rapid detection of Toxoplasma gondii in the environment. T. gondii is highly resistant to disinfection, and the public health significance of this waterborne pathogen remains to be determined. We evaluated water-borne parasitic risks in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France.