Development of a method for quantification of Cyclospora cayetanensis in environmental water

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25630223
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Civil and environmental engineering
• Research Institution: University of Yamanashi
• Principal Investigator: HARAMOTO Eiji 山梨大学, 総合研究部, 准教授 (00401141)
• Research Collaborator: KITAJIMA Masaaki Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 健康関連微生物 / サイクロスポーラ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to develop a highly specific and sensitive quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay for Cyclospora cayetanensis genomes. SYBR Green-based qPCR assay targeting ITS-2 gene of C. cayetanensis could detect quantitatively as low as 100 copies/reaction of artificially synthesized plasmid DNA containing the target sequence for C. cayetanensis. The developed qPCR assay was successfully used to detect indigenous C. cayetanensis genomes in 6 (25%) of 24 influent and 3 (13%) of 24 effluent samples collected monthly during a year at two wastewater treatment plants in Arizona, U.S.A., with the highest concentration of 12000 copies/L.

Free Research Field

水環境工学