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Develop data for use in assessing risk in predictive microbiological models including
<ol> <li>Develop methods to detect and type Giardia which are suitable for epidemiological studies,
<li>Determine the potential for cross-transmision between domestic animals and humans,
<li>Assess the potential for animal manure to carry infective organisms and develop methods for treatment to destroy infective organisms.</ol>
Direct and indirect detection methods will be used to determine optimal methods to identify Giardia in livestock. Molecular methods will be applied to type Giardia recovery from livestock and determine relationship with Giardias of human origin. If feesable rodent models will be used, studies will be performed to assess the survival of Giardia in animal manure and methods which destroy infected organisms. Predictive models will be developed to assess the risk of human infection from animal sources basd on the prevalence of Giardia in livestock.