Investigation of the Presence of Toxoplasma gondii, Giardia duodenalis, and Cryptosporidium spp. in Drinking Waters in the Region of Marrakech, Morocco.

ABSTRACT

The association between the parasitic illnesses and the consumption of contaminated water has been largely reported. However, there is still a lack of studies investigating the extent of parasitic contamination in water in Morocco. This is the first study in Morocco that aimed at assessing the presence of protozoan parasites, namely Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Toxoplasma gondii, in drinking water consumed in the region of Marrakech. Samples processing was performed by membrane filtration and qPCR detection. A total of 104 drinking water samples (tap water, well, and spring waters) was collected between 2016 and 2020. The analysis revealed an overall protozoa contamination rate of 67.3% (70/104), of which 35 samples were positive for Giardia duodenalis, 18 for Toxoplasma gondii, and 17 for both parasites, whereas no sample was positive for Cryptosporidium spp. This first study showed that drinking water in the region of Marrakech contained parasites which could represent a risk for consumers. For a better understanding and estimation of the risk encountered by local inhabitants, further studies concerned with (oo)cyst viability, infectivity, and genotype identification need to be performed.