Development and test for long-term stability of a synthetic standard for a quantitative Cryptosporidium parvum LightCycler PCR assay.

A recently described quantitative rapid cycle real time PCR (LightCycler) assay detects Cryptosporidium parvum after in vitro excystation, which is a surrogate marker for the viability of the organisms. In the original assay the quantification standard is a dilution series of C. parvum oocysts with a microscopically determined excystation rate.