Why Are the Shellfish Consumption-Caused Illnesses not Anticipated to Decline

WHY ARE THE SHELLFISH CONSUMPTION-CAUSED ILLNESSES NOT ANTICIPATED TO DECLINE  

There are several reasons that shellfish-vectored outbreaks and cases of gastroenteritis are not projected to decline and Cryptosporidium is being identified in bivalve molluscs intended for human consumption. 

Animal operations such as individual farms or huge industrial animal production facilities (e.g., beef and dairy cattle) located near shores can generate enormous surface runoff, particularly under adverse weather conditions, and can cause water pollution (Fayer et al., 1998, 1999 Freire-Santos et al., 2000 Gomez-Bautista et al., 2000). 

Deficiencies at the sewage treatment plants such as volume limitations related to designed capacity of a plant under adverse weather conditions such as heavy rainfall allow the discharge of large amounts of unprocessed waste waters. In addition, the periodic breakdown in particle removal or inadequate disinfection can deliver human enteropathogens into shellfish-harvested waters (Rippey, 1994). 

Improper postharvest handling and transportation of molluscan shellfish (i.e., temperature abuse) affect oysters directed for consumption in a raw form (Rippey, 1994). Holding of oysters at temperatures higher than 4°C in transit or in the market place can contribute to multiplication of bacterial enteropathogens (Rippey, 1994). 

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V. Why Are the Shellfish Consumption-Caused Illnesses not Anticipated to Decline ... 

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