Detection of Cryptosporidium Oocysts in Micro X-ray Computed Tomography Scans

The water containing viable Cryptosporidium oocysts was scanned before or after the microwave heating under a micro X-ray computed tomography system. Cryptosporidium oocysts clusters, found in the specimens without the heating, vanished after 30-second heating when the water temperature approached 100 degree C. After the aqueous specimens were dried, the image analysis indicated that the dried remainder in the specimen without the heating was darker and in rectangular shapes, but whiter and irregular in the specimen after 30-second heating. The preliminary results suggest the low-energy X-ray source should be applied for the aqueous specimens.