Abstract
Bivalves have been shown to be carriers of the human intestinal parasites Cryptosporidium parvum and Toxoplasma gondii. The goal of this study is to determine the prevalence of protozoan parasites in mollusks of New York City using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assay. Four species of mollusks, Mya arenaria, Geukensia demissa, Crassostrea virginica, and Mytilis edulis, were collected from Orchard Beach, NY in the fall of 2014, totaling 159 specimens. Each individual mollusk was dissected to harvest the digestive gland, the mantle, the gills, the foot and the siphon. The tissues were assayed for the presence of Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia lamblia, and Toxoplasma gondii DNA by using primers that target parasite-specific genes. C. parvum was found at a prevalence of 50%, 11.3%, and 1%, respectively, in Mya arenaria, G. demissa, and Mytilis edulis. C. parvum DNA was detected in all the tissues of these bivalve species, except the gills. Furthermore, G. lamblia was detected in Mya arenaria, G. demissa, Crassostrea virginica and Mytilis edulis at a prevalence of 37.5%, 4.5%, 60%, and 20.6%, respectively, while T. gondii DNA was not detected.
Highlights
Bivalve mollusks are frequently used as bio-indicators in the appraisal of environmental quality.Among several features, their extensive geographic distribution and their stationary nature make them valuable indictors for chemical and biological pollution
60% of the tested Crassostrea virginica was positive for G. lamblia DNA, while 37.5% of Mya arenaria, and 4.5% of the Geukensia demissa were positive, respectively (Table 1)
G. lamblia assemblage A was detected in Mya arenaria, while assemblages C and D were found in Geukensia demissa
Summary
Bivalve mollusks are frequently used as bio-indicators in the appraisal of environmental quality. Among several features, their extensive geographic distribution and their stationary nature make them valuable indictors for chemical and biological pollution. As suspension-feeding organisms, they are exposed and accumulate considerable amount of pollutants, those pollutants might be present at low concentration [1,2,3]. They have previously been used to monitor metal contamination of water [4,5]. The oocysts have a thick shell that help the parasite to survive for long periods of time until it infects a definitive host
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