Prevalence of enteric pathogens in shellfish in Madang Province of Papua New Guinea

Shellfish are natural reservoirs for enteric pathogens and are an important food source for some coastal communities in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Little is known about the food safety of shellfish in PNG. Salmonella spp. and Vibrio cholerae are common enteric pathogens known to cause moderate to severe gastrointestinal illnesses in humans, and there is a lack of information on the prevalence of these important bacterial pathogens in shellfish in PNG. The aim of this study was to gain preliminary data on the prevalence of these enteric pathogens in edible shellfish. A total of 400 shellfish samples were collected in estuarine habitats of Madang Province and screened for Salmonella spp. and V. cholerae by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), yielding 0/400 (0%) and 17/400 (4.25%) positives, respectively. Further testing revealed that none of the V. cholerae detected in this study was a toxigenic strain, however the result does not necessarily indicate that there is no risk of cholera infections. Further investigation is warranted. This study provides the first detection of V. cholerae in shellfish in PNG and highlights the potential public health concerns of these natural reservoirs for enteric pathogens.