Abstract
A study was conducted to determine the presence of Giardia and cryptosporidium parasites in drinking water sources of three different communities in kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A total of 150 water samples from three different sources such as tap water (effluent), open well water, stream water (influent) were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The average concentration of the parasites in drinking water sources were ranged from 0.0 - 12% Giardia cyst and cryptosporidium oocyst per litter in the concentrated pellet of the volume of one litter. The DNA of the parasites was extracted through vivantis Tissue DNA extraction kit, USA. A 163 bp Giardia spp and 256bp cryptosporidium spp gene were amplified. overall prevalence was 12% (18/150), amongst these Giardia Spp. and Cryptosporidium Spp. were 5.33% (8/150) and 6.66% (10/150) in tap, well and spring water in Kohat, Jauzara and Sheikhan Sherkot respectively. The presence of Giardia and cryptosporidium spp in the examined water sources through PCR may needs the purification and filtrations of the drinking water before its consumption in kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.