Intestinal protozoan parasites and water disinfection methods

An estimated 3.5 billion people worldwide are infected with intestinal parasites mainly in the developing countries where there are poor water and sanitation facilities that play a pivotal role in transmission of diseases. Prevalence of parasitic infections in school pupils living in an urban, rural and farming area was done. G. duodenalis and C. cayetanensis were prevalent in the rural area, the risk factor of being infected with G. duodenalis being, not washing fruits before eating and drinking water from deep protected wells. Drinking water bodies were also assessed for parasites. Eleven of the 30 (36.6%) water bodies had protozoan parasites with 2(6.6%) having G. duodenalis, 4(13.3%) had E. histolytica/dispar. Deep protected wells yielded a significant association (p<0.05) with G. duodenalis, E. histolytica/dispar, C. cayetanensis and unidentified water flagellates. A sand filter was designed which was capable of capturing protozoan parasites by 99.99%. Activated carbon from baobab shells and macadamia nut shells were capable (99.99%) of adsorbing protozoan parasites. Solar radiation inactivated Giardia duodenalis and Entamoeba histolytica/dispar.