The prevalence of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. was determined for ringed and bearded seals harvested for food in the Nunavik region in northern Quebec, Canada. Flow cytometric results demonstrated that G. duodenalis was present in the intestinal contents of 80% of the ringed seals and 75% of the bearded seals tested, while Cryptosporidium spp. were present in 9% of the ringed seals and none of the bearded seals. Prevalence of both parasites was highest in animals less than 1 yr of age. Giardia sp. isolates from ringed seals were identified as G. duodenalis Assemblage B, which is commonly identified in human infections. The high prevalence of G. duodenalis in ringed seals, and the presence of Assemblage B in these animals, highlights the potential for zoonotic transmission to the Inuit people, who consume dried seal intestines and uncooked seal meat.
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October 2008
Research Article|
October 01 2008
Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium Spp. in the Intestinal Contents of Ringed Seals (Phoca hispida) and Bearded Seals (Erignathus barbatus) in Nunavik, Quebec, Canada
Brent R. Dixon;
Brent R. Dixon
aMicrobiology Research Division, Food Directorate, Health Canada, Banting Research Centre 2204E, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A 0K9
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Lorna J. Parrington;
Lorna J. Parrington
aMicrobiology Research Division, Food Directorate, Health Canada, Banting Research Centre 2204E, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A 0K9
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Monique Parenteau;
Monique Parenteau
bAnimal Resources Division, Food Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A 0K9
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Daniel Leclair;
Daniel Leclair
cFood Microbiology and Extraneous Matter, Food Safety Division, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A 0Y9
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Mónica Santín;
Mónica Santín
dEnvironmental Microbial Safety Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705. Brent_Dixon@hc-sc.gc.ca
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Ronald Fayer
Ronald Fayer
dEnvironmental Microbial Safety Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705. Brent_Dixon@hc-sc.gc.ca
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J Parasitol (2008) 94 (5): 1161–1163.
Citation
Brent R. Dixon, Lorna J. Parrington, Monique Parenteau, Daniel Leclair, Mónica Santín, Ronald Fayer; Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium Spp. in the Intestinal Contents of Ringed Seals (Phoca hispida) and Bearded Seals (Erignathus barbatus) in Nunavik, Quebec, Canada. J Parasitol 1 October 2008; 94 (5): 1161–1163. doi: https://doi.org/10.1645/GE-1485.1
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