Recorded presentation

Randall Freeman, MD, MPH, Temple University, 120 Stevenson Lane, Baltimore, MD 21212, (410) 382-2919, Anatomico@aol.com.

An alien species is one that is foreign to the environment it has established itself in. Some, such as horses in North America, are beneficial. While others, including the sea lamprey and Zebra mussel, are extremely harmful and termed invasive. It is estimated that at any given time 4,500 different species are carried in the ballast waters of ships around the world. And 40,000 gallons of that foreign ballast water is dumped virtually unmonitored into U.S. harbors every minute. , Although macroscopic invasives garner increasing attention, micro-organisms present an even greater risk. Fish pathogens such as Pfisteria piscicida and P. shumwayae; and human pathogens including Vibro cholerae, Aeromonas parvum, Giardia duodenalis, Salmonella spp., Clostridium perfringins, Encephalitozoon intestinalis and Escherichia coli are also carried in the ballast water of many ships. Studies have shown that these organisms remain viable throughout transit and discharge into the destination port. The 1991 cholera epidemic in South America which killed over 10,000 persons across the continent has been linked to ballast water discharged in Peruvian ports. Since then, cholera has been detected in some U.S. ports as well, likely transported here by freighters from South America. , , , Although no outbreaks have been recorded here to date, insufficient consideration has been given to preventing one. With so many resources being directed towards bioterrorism defense and public health preparedness, such an oversight is completely untenable. Ballast water should not be a vector for disease.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Ballast water transports numerous biological pathogens.
• 2. Ballast water discharged into U.S. ports is largely untested and unregulated.
• 3. The nation’s public health is at risk from contaminated ballast water.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation