Potential role of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, in the epidemiology of Cryptosporidium parvum

Abstract

Oysters were placed in an aquarium containing artificial seawater, and Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts were added. Oocysts were later found in the gill washings, hemocytes, and gut contents of the oysters. Hemocytes containing oocysts were intubated into four mice. C. parvum stages developed in the ileal epithelia of all of the mice, indicating that the oocysts in the hemocytes remained infective.