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'GIARDIA' PREVALENCE IN COMMERCIALLY TRAPPED MAMMALS
Citation:
Frost, F., B. Plan, AND B. Liechty. 'GIARDIA' PREVALENCE IN COMMERCIALLY TRAPPED MAMMALS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-80/197.
Description:
Recent outbreaks of giardiasis have been linked to Giardia contamination of municipal water supplies. Human or animal contamination of drinking water has been implicated in most of the outbreaks. Of particular interest to water utility operators and water supply engineers is the possible animal contamination of water supplies which are protected from human contamination. A giardiasis outbreak in Camas, Wash., was thought to have resulted from aquatic mammal contamination of an otherwise protected water supply. Following this outbreak, the Washington State Health Services Division undertook a series of aquatic mammal surveys to estimate the prevalence of Giardia infection in Washington's wild beaver and muskrat population and to determine if animal contamination of other water supplies could occur. Many Washington State water supplies use chlorination as the only treatment for surface water, and since chlorination may not inactivate Giardia cysts, there was concern that a number of cities were vulnerable to giardiasis outbreaks.