Abstract
To establish a new method of detecting Cryptosporidium and Giardia in source and drinking water, we designed and evaluated a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay, using a set of primers targeting of the 18S rRNA genes of Cryptosporidium and Giardia. The method showed a rapid and specific amplification of all the strains of Cryptosporidium and Giardia tested within 1 hour at 63°C. The detection limit of either protozoon was 0.8 (oo)cysts/test. The LAMP assay was considered to be used for testing the presence of Cryptosporidium and/or Giardia in drinking water having diagnostic high sensitivity and specificity.
