Cryptosporidium screening of selected water resources of the Cuvelai-Etosha basin and Kunene basins and implications for water management
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Date
2019
Authors
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Publisher
University of Namibia
Abstract
In the Cuvelai-Etosha and Kunene Basins, a remarkable percentage of the population depends on a variety of unprotected water resources for both domestic and livestock purposes, which includes Earth dams, wells, boreholes and streams. Waterborne transmission of Cryptosporidium could be prevalent in water basins were water resources have no protection against direct-microbial contamination. However, little is known about the influence of management of water resources on Cryptosporidium prevalence. The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in selected water resources of the Cuvelai-Etosha and Kunene basins and assess the implications of findings on water management. On-site parameters of conductivity, dissolved oxygen, temperature and pH were measured from a total of 47 water samples from 47 sampling sites were screened for Cryptosporidium at the end of the rainy season by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The results showed a prevalence of 4.3 %, all from unprotected water resources which suggest that management (protection) of water resources from direct access to animals and direct-runoff is essential to lower the risk of waterborne infection of cryptosporidiosis. We recommend source protection of water resources in the basins to lower the risk of Cryptosporidium contamination. Further longitudinal studies screening for Cryptosporidium should be conducted to assess prevalence.
Description
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Water Resource Management
Keywords
Cuvelai-Etosha basin, Cryptosporidium, Kunene basin, water resources, Source protection