title: Bacteriophage as models for virus removal from Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) during re-laying.
abstract: A study was undertaken to examine the feasibility of using naturally-occurring bacteriophages to assess the impact of re-laying on levels of viral contamination in Crassostrea gigas, the Pacific oyster. Two phages were chosen. One, male-specific (F+), was enumerated using Salmonella typhimurium. The other, a somatic phage, was detected using an, as yet, uncharacterized Escherichia coli. Investigations, using a variety of re-laying sites, demonstrated that numbers of F+ phage in oyster tissue declined more rapidly than those of somatic phage. For example, in oysters placed in commercially-used sea water ponds, F+ phage reached undetectable levels within 2-3 weeks, whereas somatic phage could still be detected 5 weeks after re-laying. The studies suggest that F+ phage may not be a suitable indicator for virus removal and that somatic phage may be better suited to this role.
authors.affiliation: Food Unit, Public Health Laboratory, Heavitree, Exeter, UK.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Humphrey
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003090:Coliphages / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005516:Food Microbiology; D010125:Ostreidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D012483:Salmonella Phages / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium; D012621:Seasons; D012722:Sewage; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014876:Water Pollution
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage