Inactivation of Cryptosporidium Infectivity by Copper and Its Alloys

Abstract

This study investigates the inactivation mechanism of copper and its alloys on Cryptosporidium parvum oocyst infectivity and to evaluate its infectivity in a β–tubulin mRNA expression system using cultured human intestinal epithelial cells. Copper and brass strongly injured the oocyst wall of C. parvum and promoted sporozoite excystation in a short time. This denaturing effect was mediated by ROS produced via the Fenton reaction. The denatured oocysts were not capable of expressing β–tubulin mRNA with a 288 bp intron deletion in cultured cells. These results suggest that copper and brass have the potential ability to denature the wall and sporozoites of C. parvum oocysts via ROS and eliminate their infectivity.