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Brief Communications

Nature 408, 49-50 (2 November 2000) | doi:10.1038/35040695

Open Innovation Challenges

Global spread of microorganisms by ships

Gregory M. Ruiz1, Tonya K. Rawlings1,2, Fred C. Dobbs3, Lisa A. Drake3, Timothy Mullady1, Anwarul Huq2 & Rita R. Colwell2

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Ballast water discharged from vessels harbours a cocktail of potential pathogens.

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Commercial ships have spread many species around the world1, 2, 3, but little is known of the extent and potential significance of ship-mediated transfer of microorganisms3, 4. Here we show that the global movement of ballast water by ships creates a long-distance dispersal mechanism for human pathogens and may be important in the worldwide distribution of microorganisms, as well as for the epidemiology of waterborne diseases affecting plants and animals.