
Don’t give parasites a chance
Millions of different microbes per millilitre have been detected in European tap water, accumulating in pipes. A significant issue here is the ongoing need for infrastructure renovation. Resistance to chlorine, which is often used for disinfection, is shown by Giardia lamblia (a single-celled parasite from the phylum Apicomplexa, which infects humans and various vertebrates) and Cryptosporidium (a single-celled parasite from the phylum Apicomplexa, which infects humans and multiple vertebrates). These pathogens are partly responsible for the transmission of diseases and ultimately live in the intestines.