Food and Water Borne Enteric Protozoa: Environmental Health Perspectives Stephanie M. Fletcher, PhD (c) NEHA AEC & Exhibition San Diego June 30, 2012 Outline Introduction Overview of the Epidemiology of Enteric Protozoa Diagnostic considerations Environmental health considerations Detection in water Water treatment Blastocystis sp oocysts- by wet preparation 2 Alum et al. (2010) Int Jinfect Dis 14 e732 e738 3 1
Introduction to Enteric Protozoa Enteric protozoa most commonly encountered parasitic diseases; Causes significant morbidity and mortality in both developed and developing regions; Affect millions of people annually; lack access to safe drinking water increases vulnerability of billions of people ; The impact of water and food borne zoonoses expected to be significant. 4 Introduction continued The most common protozoa implicated in developed countries are: Cryptosporidium spp., Dientamoeba fragilis, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia intestinalis Transmitted to humans, livestock, domestic animals and pets 5 Public Health concerns Many routes of transmission: Foodborne, waterborne and zoonosis Persistence in the environment Inadequate attention given to diagnosis in developed settings; Lack of sensitive diagnostic techniques. Chronic and extra intestinal infections. Disease burden greater in high risk groups: children, elderly, immunocompromised; MSM, Institutionalized people. 6 2
A Complex Problem! Fletcher et al 2012; Clin Micro Review 7 Enteric protozoa in children 0 12 yrs in developing regions and OECD countries EAP LAC MENA OECD SAP SSA NO. OF STUDIES 13 8 5 9 8 17 Pathogens Giardia intestinalis 0.1% (0.1-0.3) 2.0% (0.6-6.5) 1.2% (0.5-3.2) 0.5% (0.2-1.1) 3.8% (2.1-6.9) 2.6% (1.6-4.0) Entamoeba histolytica/dis par complex 0.1% (0.0-0.9) 0.6% (0.1-6.5) 1.5% (0.6-4.1) 0.2% (0.1-0.7) 1.0% (0.4-2.1) 1.4% (0.8-2.4) Cryptosporidi um spp. 0.01% (0.1-.2) 0.3% (0.03-2.0) 1.0% (0.2-4.9) 0.4% (0.2-0.7) 2.0% (1.0-3.9) 0.3% (0.1-0.9) Meta-analysis: Fletcher et al 2011 8 Enteric parasites in adults (12 70+ yrs) in developing regions and OECD countries (DEVELOPING: MENA/SSA) OECD NO. OF STUDIES 4 2 Protozoa Cryptosporidium 3.4% (0.5%-19.0%) 1.6% (0.3%-8.7%) Entamoeba sp 2.3% (1.3%-4.1%) 0.4% (0.1%-1.9%) Blastocystis hominis 2.1% (0.4%-9.9%) 0.8% (0.1%-5.0%) Giardia intestinalis 1.9% (1.0%-3.6%) 1.5% (0.4%-5.0%) Cyclospora 1.9% (1.0%-3.7%) 0.3.% (0.1%-1.9%) Dientamoeba fragilis 0.5% (0.1%-1.8%) 0.3.% (0.1%-1.9%) Meta-analysis: Fletcher et al 2011 9 3
Diagnostic considerations Figure 1: Photomicrographs of six enteric protozoa. Plates 1 5 are stained with a modified iron hematoxylin stain (incorporating a carbol fuschin staining step); Plate 6 is a wet preparation. (1) Cryptosporidium oocysts; 2(a): Giardia intestinalis cysts; 2(b) Giardia intestinalis trophozoite; 3(a) Entamoeba histolytica cyst; 3(b) Entamoeba histolytica trophozoite; (4) Cyclospora cayetanensis oocysts; (5) Dientamoeba fragilis bi nucleated trophozoite; (6) Blastocystis oocysts. Bars represent 10 μm. Graphics by Dr. Damien Stark. 10 Diagnostic considerations Prevalence estimates affected by the lack of sensitive diagnostic techniques. Routine tests not done in some labs. Difficulty to detect some protozoa Consider Molecular based techniques. Adv: most promising for sensitive, accurate and simultaneous detection of protozoa. Disadv: Molecular methods quite costly, time consuming and many not commercially available. 11 Diagnosis: Cryptosporidium spp. Clinically: self limiting diarrhoea lasting weeks to months, esp in children<5 years old. In immunosuppressed patients: more severe, assoc with chronic diarrhoea and wasting; can be fatal. Traditionally diagnosis relies on special staining techniques (tinctorial/acid fast, fluorescent/auramine phenol or immunofluorescent stains). Alternative techniques: ELISA and various PCR assays. PCR has superior sensitivity for the detection of Cryptosporidium spp. when compared to conventional staining, microscopy, and ELISA. 12 4
Diagnosis: Dientamoeba fragilis Clinical presentation: acute gastrointestinal disease, with chronic infections also documented. Traditional diagnosis: prompt fixation and permanent staining, (demonstrating the characteristic nuclear structure by permanent stained preparations only). These techniques are time-consuming and require experienced personnel to interpret the stained smears. Molecular techniques: conventional and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) targeting the small-subunit (SSU) ribosomal DNA (rdna), (high sensitivity and specificity). 13 Diagnosis: Entamoeba complex Clinical presentation: asymptomatic, dysentery, colitis and invasive disease. For e.g. liver, brain, cutaneous. Entamoeba histolytica is morphologically identical to E. dispar and E. moshkovskii; (non pathogenic spp). Genetic differences confirmed as three separate species. Stained smears of stool specimens are insufficient for differentiation of the species. PCR or ELISA for differentiation of the species. Serological methods are useful for detecting invasive disease. (indirect hemagglutination, latex agglutination, immunoelectrophoresis, immunofluorescence assay. 14 Diagnosis: Giardia intestinalis Clinical presentation: asymptomatic; acute and chronic gastrointestinal infections. Diagnosis: microscopy or molecular methods Identifying cysts or trophozoites in stained/unstained faecal smears. Enzyme immunoassays, direct fluorescence and immunochromatographic assays PCR assays available. 15 5
Prevalence of Enteric Protozoa in Diarrhoeal Patients in 3 hospitals CHW Hospital LPH Hospital SVH Hospital *** No. % of total stools No. % of total stools No. % of total stools Blastocystis spp. 37 2.2 86 13.6 279 23.7 Dientamoeba fragilis Crytosporidium spp. Entamoeba histolytica/dispar complex 21 1.3 6 1.0 62 5.3 10 0.6 8 1.3 29 2.5 0 0 0.5 3 20 1.7 Others not routinely tested unless travel history or by special request Comparison of Protozoa in diarrhoeal cases in three hospitals in Sydney 25 23.7 % of stool samples 20 15 10 5 0 2.2 13.6 5.3 2.5 1.3 1 1.3 0.6 3 1.7 0 non pathoenic protozoa Children s Hospital Westmead Liverpool Hospital St. Vincent s Hospital Environmental Health Considerations Increased risks from use of recylced water/wastewater; biosolids, humanure; Difficult to detect in environmental specimen persistence of cyst forms, difficulties to separate extraneous material Faecal Indicators: Could be useful alternative markers of faecal contamination 18 6
Detection of protozoa in water samples Issues: small size, dispersion in water, difficulty to concentrate oocysts/cysts from environmental samples. Purification and concentration techniques have addressed these problem USEPA recommends four sequential steps: Filtration of water retaining the (oo)cysts and extraneous materials on the filter; Elution and separation process purification and concentration of (oo)cysts by immunomagnetic separation, discarding extraneous material; Staining with specific fluorescent antibodies ; enumeration by fluorescence & differential interference contrast microscopy. 19 Water treatment considerations Most protozoa are resistant to chlorination and conventional water treatment methods. Due to their small size, unable to easily remove from water. 20 Water treatment considerations Considerations: Small scale: Point of use water purification technologies (for e.g. chlorination + boiling with safe storage, solar UV treatment, Ceramic Filter, biosand filter. Large scale: Combinations of treatments and multiplebarriers approaches to optimize water treatment. improving flocculation mixing intensities and flow distribution throughout the water treatment plant. electro filtration process removes waterborne particles <4µ. Emerging waste water treatment methods involve membrane and filtration technologies. 21 7
Summary Cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. The major agents are Cryptosporidium spp., Dientamoeba fragilis, Entamoeba histolytica, and Giardia intestinalis. Prevalence estimates affected by the lack of sensitive diagnostic techniques. Consider simultaneously detecting several protozoa in stool. Difficult to detect protozoa in environmental samples by traditional methods. Need for adequate standards to guide use of recycled water and biosolids. New and emerging water treatment technologies should be considered. 22 Further reading Fletcher SM, Harkness J., Stark D. & Ellis J. (2012) Enteric protozoa in the developed world: a public health perspective. Clinical Microbiology Review vol. 25 (3) (IN PRESS) 23 References Suresh, K., and H. V. Smith. Tropical organisms in Stark, D., et al. 2011. Evaluation of Multiplex Asia/Africa/South America. In J. A. Cotruvo et al Tandem Real Time PCR for Detection of (ed.), Waterborne Zoonoses: Identification, Cryptosporidium spp., Dientamoeba fragilis, Causes and Control. World Health Organization Entamoeba histolytica, and Giardia (WHO). IWA Publishing, London, UK. intestinalis in Clinical Stool Samples. J Clin Ahs, J. W., W. Tao, J. Löfgren, and B. C. Forsberg. Microbiol 49: 257 262. 2010. Diarrheal Diseases in Low and Middle Stark, D., et al. 2009. Clinical Significance of Income Countries: Incidence, Prevention and Enteric Protozoa in the Immunosuppressed Management. The Open Infectious Diseases Human Population. Clin Microbiol Rev Journal 4:113 124. 22:634 650. Slifko, T. R., H. V. Smith, and J. B. Rose. 2000. Traub, R. J., et al. 2005. Molecular Emerging parasite zoonoses associated with epidemiology: A multidisciplinary approach water and food. Int J Parasitol 30:1379 1393. to understanding parasitic zoonoses. Carmena, D. 2010. International Journal for Parasitology Waterborne transmission of Cryptosporidium and 35:1295 1307. Giardia: detection, surveillance and implications Shoff, W. H., et al. 2010 February 26 2010, for public health. In A. Mendez Vilas (ed.), posting date. Cyclospora: Differential Current Research, Technology and Education Diagnoses & Workup. Medscape. [Online.] Topics in Applied Microbiology and Microbial 24 Biotechnology 2ed. 8
Prevalence of GI Pathogens in Six (6) World Regions OECD: 40.9 (33.4 48.8) LAC: 61.0 (51.2 70.1) MENA: 54.3 (43.6 64.7) SSA: 62.40 (49.7 73.6) EAP: 45.00 (30.9 60.0) SAP: 60.40 (48.2 71.5) Key: EAP=East Asia & the Pacific; MENA = Middle East and North Africa; SAP= South Asia; Pacific LAC= Latin America and the Caribbean; SSA= Sub Saharan Africa; OECD= Developed Countries including non OECD. Map obtained from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/file:developed_and_developing_countries.png 9