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Title: THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF OYSTERS AND WATERFOWL IN THE COMPLEX EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM PARVUM

Author
item Fayer, Ronald
item GRACZYK, T - JOHNS HOPKINS UNIV
item FARLEY, C - NOAA, NAT MARINE FISH SER
item LEWIS, E - NOAA, NAT MARINE FISH SER
item Trout, James

Submitted to: Journal of American Water Works Association
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/6/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite transmitted to livestock and humans by the fecal oral route, often through contamination of water with infected feces. Runoff from fields and pastures can carry organisms downstream to marine waters. The present study has demonstrated that under artificial conditions filter feeders such as oysters can remove the parasite from water and serve as a source of infection if they or their tissues are ingested raw by susceptible animals. If oysters are shown to remove these parasites from waters in the natural environment this would be cause for public health concern.

Technical Abstract: Oysters were placed in an aquarium containing artificial seawater and Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts were added. Oocysts were found in gill washings, hemocytes, and gut contents. Hemocytes were intubated into 4 mice. Stages of C. parvum developed in ileal epithelium of all mice indicating that the oocysts in hemocytes were infective.