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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2000, p. 1866-1870, Vol. 66, No. 5
0099-2240/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Detection of Infectious Cryptosporidium parvum Oocysts in Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and Cockles (Cerastoderma edule)

M. Gomez-Bautista,1,* L. M. Ortega-Mora,1 E. Tabares,1 V. Lopez-Rodas,2 and E. Costas2

Parasitología y Enfermedades Parasitarias, Departamento de Patología Animal (Sanidad Animal),1 and Genética, Departamento de Producción Animal,2 Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain

Received 3 December 1999/Accepted 25 February 2000

Infective Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts were detected in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and cockles (Cerastoderma edule) from a shellfish-producing region (Gallaecia, northwest Spain, bounded by the Atlantic Ocean) that accounts for the majority of European shellfish production. Shellfish were collected from bay sites with different degrees of organic pollution. Shellfish harboring C. parvum oocysts were recovered only from areas located near the mouths of rivers with a high density of grazing ruminants on their banks. An approximation of the parasite load of shellfish collected in positive sites indicated that each shellfish transported more than 103 oocysts. Recovered oocysts were infectious for neonatal mice, and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis demonstrated a profile similar to that described for genotype C or 2 of the parasite. These results demonstrate that mussels and cockles could act as a reservoir of C. parvum infection for humans. Moreover, estuarine shellfish could be used as an indicator of river water contamination.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Parasitología y Enfermedades Parasitarias, Departamento de Patologia Animal (Sanidad Animal), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain. Phone: 34 91 394 37 13. Fax: 34 91 394 39 08. E-mail: mergoba{at}eucmax.sim.ucm.es.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2000, p. 1866-1870, Vol. 66, No. 5
0099-2240/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

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