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Title: APPLICATION OF RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY TO ANALYZE THE CRYPTOSPORIDIUM PARVUM OOCYST WALL AND SUTURE CONSTITUENTS

Author
item Shelton, Daniel
item Fayer, Ronald
item JAYASUNDERA, SHALINI - UNIV MD
item ADAR, FRAN - JOBIN YVON HORIBA

Submitted to: Annual Experimental Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2001
Publication Date: 3/1/2001
Citation: SHELTON, D.R., FAYER, R., JAYASUNDERA, S., ADAR, F. APPLICATION OF RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY TO ANALYZE THE CRYPTOSPORIDIUM PARVUM OOCYST WALL AND SUTURE CONSTITUENTS. ANNUAL EXPERIMENTAL NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE CONFERENCE. 2001.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum, associated with diarrheal disease in humans, livestock, companion animals, and wildlife, has become the most important newly recognized contaminant in drinking water. Ingestion of the oocyst stage of the parasite, for infectious organisms enclosed and protected within an environmentally resistant wall, can result tin cryptosporidiosis. Fecal contamination is the ultimate source of the oocyst, found in surface waters throughout the United States. The parasite protective wall has so far shown resistance to the many chemicals used to disinfect bacteria and viruses. Identification of the physical and chemical composition of the oocyst wall can provide a rational basis for designing processes which will reduce or eliminate oocysts from drinking water. Raman microscopy enabled identification of localized sites differing in the amount or composition of amides, amines, aromatics, carbohydrates, ureas, and/or sulfurs. The composition can be determined without staining or other processing which itself can alter the oocyst wall properties/composition. The results show that the chemical properties of the oocyst wall are not uniform and the unique features exist in localized structures. Raman can thus be used to identify the corresponding sites in the wall that are weakened by future chemical treatments designed to disinfect the parasite.