Survivals of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Escherichia coli in a gastropod mollusc, Heminerita japonica.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains D-3 and R-13 were found to be cleared within 7 days from a marine neritid gastropod mollusc, Heminerita japonica, maintained in artificial seawater with salinities of 15, 25 and 35 permil (%) at 25 degrees C. Escherichia coli strain YS-2 survived at a level of 10(2) colony forming units per gram in the mollusc maintained in 15% water for up to 14 days and fell to non-detectable level within 7 days in a 35% salinity group. The ability of H. japonica to clear these organisms seems to be less active than that of a marine species. Nerita albicilla, and more active than that of an estuarine species. Clithon retropictus.