Public health risk of Giardia and Cryptosporidium posed by reintroduction of beavers into Scotland

Boden, L. and Auty, H. (2015) Public health risk of Giardia and Cryptosporidium posed by reintroduction of beavers into Scotland. Project Report. Scottish Natural Heritage.

Abstract

Following publication of ‘Scottish Beaver Trial Independent Public Health Monitoring 2009-2014 Report and Recommendations’ (Mackie, 2014), two pieces of complementary work were undertaken in parallel to assess the potential contribution of reintroduced beavers in Scotland to the public health burden of disease attributed to Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. parasites. The first, a risk assessment, addressing the question ‘What is the likelihood that re-introduced beavers will have a significant impact on the contamination of drinking water supplies with Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia?’ (Appendix 1), was conducted by Scottish Government’s Centre of Expertise on Animal Disease Outbreaks (EPIC). This reviewed evidence from data and publications across the world, as well as evidence from the beaver trial and SNH’s Tayside beaver reports, and used this to assess the likely additional contribution of beavers to the risk associated with exposure to these parasites in Scotland. The second, ‘What is the likelihood that beavers will be an important source of contamination of drinking water supplies with Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia intestinalis?’ (Appendix 2), was prepared by Health Protection Scotland (HPS), Scottish Parasite Diagnostic Reference Laboratory (SPDL) and Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland (DWQR). This reviewed the diagnostics, surveillance and epidemiology of these infections in people in Scotland.

• Item Type: Research Reports or Papers (Project Report)
• Status: Published
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Boden, Dr Lisa and Auty, Harriet
• Authors: Boden, L., and Auty, H.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Publisher: Scottish Natural Heritage