Abstract
Cryptosporidium is an important enteric parasite and has been identified as the cause of numerous waterborne, foodborne, and day-care outbreaks of diarrheal disease worldwide. Ill. The oocyst is the environmentally stable stage and is able to survive and penetrate routine wastewater treatment and is resistant to inactivation by commonly used drinking water disinfectants. Currently, cryptosporidiosis represents the major public health concern of water utilities in developed nations and has been responsible for 50.8% (165/325) of all water-associated outbreaks of parasitic protozoan disease reported in North American and Europe.