Year of grant:
2018

Research Area:
Náttúra og náttúrutilfeingi

Project type:
Verkætlan

Project title:
Finnast sníkarnir Cryptosporidinum og Giardia í føroyskum seyði og neytum, og kunnu hesir dálka drekkivatnið?

Grant number:
0455

Project manager:
Kim S. Bergkvist

Institution/company:
Verkætlan á Heilsufrøðiligu Starvsstovuni

Other participants:
Heidi Mortensen, Óluva Vang, Jógvan Páll Fjallsbak, Kim S. Bergkvist og Lucy Robertson

Project period:
01/08/2018-31/12/2019

Total budget:
kr. 866.822

Grant from the FRC in DKK:
kr. 505.777

Project description:
The protozoan parasites Cryptosporidium and Giardia are of concern to public health worldwide. These protozoan parasites are both emerging pathogens, and are the cause of the intestinal infections cryptosporidiosis and giardiasls, respectively. Humans can acquire infections either by direct contact with infected persons (anthroponotic transmission) or from animals (zoonotic transmission) or by ingestion of food or water which is contaminated by faeces. Both parasites have been associated with community-wide outbreaks, in which contaminated drinking water has been demonstrated to be, or indicated to be, the vehicle of transmission. In the Faroe Islands no monitoring or surveillance is being done to assure consumers that the drinking water does not contain these parasites. This is particularly relevant since surface water is used for drinking water in the Faroe Islands and considering the fact that approximately 2.500 people in the Faroe Islands, corresponding to approximately 5% of the total population, still receive untreated drinking water. Hence, a study on the occurrence of these parasites is of outmost relevance and importance when considering a safe drinking water supply for people in the Faroe Islands. The main objective of the project is to study the occurrence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in faeces from cattle and sheep in the Faroe Islands, since they may be potential cryptosporidium sources in the Faroe Islands. Especially, the approximately 70,000 sheep that walk and graze freely on the fields, also on the catchment areas of drinking water reservoirs. Subsequently, the occurrence and concentrations of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in raw water from drinking water reservoirs is investigated. As an extra input to our study, we will also study sewage influent, to assess possible human infection. Another objectlve is to implement a standardised method, as well as establishing analytical competences for analysing and identifying Cryptosporidium oocysts and Glardia cysts in environmental samples in the Faroe Islands.

Project status:
Virkin



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