Environmental fate and persistence of cyclospora cayetanensis

Cyclospora cayetanensis is an emerging food-borne protozoan pathogen. Similar to other gastrointestinal pathogens, cyclosporiasis causes prolonged diarrhea. Unlike Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora oocysts are not infective when they are shed by infected individuals. Oocysts mature in the environment for several weeks before sporulating. Little is known about how C. cayetanensis is transported in the environment. The literature indicates that water and food, such as leafy greens and berries, are common sources of infection. Contact with soil has also been correlated with cyclosporiasis infection. In addition to acting as a vector to transport oocysts from the environment to the body, water and soil may be important reservoirs to not only allow C. cayetanensis to persist, but also transport the oocysts from one location to another. This research utilizes discrete sampling from an urban area where human waste entered the environment. Nested PCR and two rounds of non-nested PCR analyses identified possible Cyclospora DNA in the soil, water, and wildlife scat found in the area following Combined Sewage Outfall (CSO) events. This may indicate that C. cayetanensis is prevalent in the environment. In addition, an experimental investigation of oocyst adhesion to soil was completed, but was inconclusive