Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #150432
Title: ZOONOTIC PROTISTS IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

Author
item Fayer, Ronald
item Trout, James

Submitted to: Kluwer Academic Press
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/30/2003
Publication Date: 9/1/2005
Citation: Fayer, R., Trout, J.M. 2005. Zoonotic protists in the marine environment. Kluwer Academic Press. pp. 143-163.

Interpretive Summary: The presence of protist pathogens, including, microsporidia, amoebae, ciliates, flagellates, and apicomplexans, many originating in human or animal feces, has been documented in surface waters. Transport of the environmental stages of these protists to estuarine and marine waters, although possible and even likely, has not been well documented. The present chapter focuses on Giardia, Toxoplasma and Cryptosporidium, zoonotic parasites that enter the environment in feces from domesticated animals, wildlife, and/or humans. Subtopics for each organism include: Biology and Life Cycle, Prevalence and Distribution, The Disease, Cyst or Oocyst Survival, Transmission and Dispersal of Cysts or Oocysts, Detection in Water, Sea Mammal Infections: Evidence in the Marine Environment, and Reducing or Preventing Environmental Contamination. Although microsporidia and amoebae from human and anmial sources are also potential protist pathogens there is a lack of data regarding their presence in the marine environment.

Technical Abstract: The presence of protist pathogens, including, microsporidia, amoebae, ciliates, flagellates, and apicomplexans, many originating in human or animal feces, has been documented in surface waters. Transport of the environmental stages of these protists to estuarine and marine waters, although possible and even likely, has not been well documented. The present chapter focuses on Giardia, Toxoplasma and Cryptosporidium, zoonotic parasites that enter the environment in feces from domesticated animals, wildlife, and/or humans. Subtopics for each organism include: Biology and Life Cycle, Prevalence and Distribution, The Disease, Cyst or Oocyst Survival, Transmission and Dispersal of Cysts or Oocysts, Detection in Water, Sea Mammal Infections: Evidence in the Marine Environment, and Reducing or Preventing Environmental Contamination. Although microsporidia and amoebae from human and anmial sources are also potential protist pathogens there is a lack of data regarding their presence in the marine environment.