目前用于检测隐孢子虫的技术。环境中的卵囊无法将微小隐孢子虫与其他非人类致病性隐孢子虫区分开来。此外，它们并不广泛适用于卵囊活力的常规测定。本研究评估了18S核糖体RNA（rRNA）荧光原位杂交（FISH）探针，用于在常规分析程序中同时测定微小隐球菌的种类和生存能力。它还检验了:鱼类和鱼类之间的相关性- 体外脱囊试验用于测定氯气消毒期间的活力，以及微小隐球菌的物种特异性；在免疫磁分离（IMS）和流式细胞术从水浓缩物碎屑材料中分离卵囊期间，以及在PBS中实验室储存时，探针靶rRNA的稳定性；氯对免疫荧光染色的影响。数据表明，在暴露于0- 15 ppm次氯酸钠。通过IMS和FACS纯化卵囊，探针rRNA靶点稳定。在室温下，在PBS中卵囊通透性化55小时后估计目标半衰期。RNA酶的加入显著减少或消除了探针结合。向大量水浓缩物样品中添加核糖核酸酶似乎可以显著降低核糖核酸酶的影响。讨论了FISH在常规环境分析实验室协议中的应用。

Currently-employed techniques for the detection of Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts in the environment are unable to distinguish C. parvum from other non-human-pathogenic Cryptosporidium species. In addition, they are not broadly suitable for routine determinations of oocyst viability. This study evaluated 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) Fluorescence-in-situ Hybridisation (FISH) probes for the simultaneous determination of C. parvum species and viability during routine analytical procedures. It also examined: the correlation between FISH and in-vitro excystation assays for determinations of viability during chlorine disinfection, as well as species specificity for C. parvum; the stability of the probe target rRNA during immunomagnetic separation (IMS) and flow cytometric isolation of oocysts from water concentrate detrital material, and upon laboratory storage in PBS; and, the effects of chlorine on immunofluorescence staining. Data indicated a good general correlation between excystation and FISH for determinations of oocyst viability over 15 days exposure to 0-15 ppm sodium hypochlorite. Probe rRNA target was stable through IMS and FACS purification of oocysts. Target half-life was estimated at 55 h after oocyst permeabilization in PBS at room temperature. The addition of RNAse significantly reduced, or eliminated probe binding. The effects of RNAse appeared to be significantly reduced by addition of RNAsein to bulk water concentrate samples. The utility of FISH for use in routine environmental analysis laboratory protocols is discussed.