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Rivory P, Bedoya-Pérez M, Ward MP, Šlapeta J. Older urban rats are infected with the zoonotic nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PARASITOLOGY & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES 2024; 5:100179. [PMID: 38845789 PMCID: PMC11154120 DOI: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2024.100179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Rats, being synanthropic, are hosts to agents of zoonotic diseases that pose a threat to human and domestic animal health. The nematode parasite Angiostrongylus cantonensis, commonly known as the rat lungworm, is no exception; it can cause potentially fatal neural disease in humans, dogs and other species. The distribution of A. cantonensis (haplotypes SYD.1 and Ac13) and its close relative, Angiostrongylus mackerrasae is not well understood in Australia. We investigated the prevalence of Angiostrongylus in rats in Sydney, Australia, primarily via faecal qPCR, and identified the species and haplotypes using partial cox1 sequencing. We found a moderate prevalence of infection (29%; 95% CI: 16.1-46.6%) in black (Rattus rattus) and brown (Rattus norvegicus) rats around public parks and residential areas. This study demonstrates that Sydney's urban rat population is a reservoir for A. cantonensis. Modelling infection status as a function of rat species, sex, tibia length (as a proxy for age), and health index (a measure of weight by size) revealed that older rats are statistically more likely to be infected (χ 2 1 = 5.331, P = 0.021). We observed a dominant presence of the A. cantonensis SYD.1 haplotype, for which the implications are not yet known. No A. mackerassae was detected, leading us to suspect it may have a more restricted host- and geographical range. Overall, this study illustrates the presence and potential risk of A. cantonensis infection in Sydney. Public education regarding transmission routes and preventative measures is crucial to safeguard human and animal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phoebe Rivory
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Miguel Bedoya-Pérez
- The Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michael P. Ward
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Jan Šlapeta
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Jaume-Ramis S, Martínez-Ortí A, Delgado-Serra S, Bargues MD, Mas-Coma S, Foronda P, Paredes-Esquivel C. Potential intermediate hosts of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in the European Mediterranean region (Mallorca, Spain). One Health 2023; 17:100610. [PMID: 37638211 PMCID: PMC10448469 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Angiostrongylus cantonensis is the main etiological agent of eosinophilic meningitis, a disease that often leads to severe neurological manifestations in mammals and birds. In recent years, the prevalence of this zoonotic nematode has dramatically increased as it expands into new territories beyond its native range in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Basin.Its arrival to Europe, the last continent to be invaded, has raised many questions concerning the parasite's life cycle, particularly in the Mediterranean region, where it is now endemic. This study aims to collect evidence about intermediate hosts (snail and slug species) involved in the transmission of the A. cantonensis in Mallorca. We have conducted a systematic surveillance of gastropods within 2 km radius areas, surrounding the specific locations where infected hedgehogs were found. We employed a sequence-based detection approach that included a species-specific PCR amplification followed by DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer I (ITS-1). This conservative approach was essential to avoid cross reactions with the numerous metastrongylid species known to be circulating in Mallorca. Overall, we collected and identified 398 gastropods belonging to 17 species, of which 11% tested positive for A. cantonensis. These gastropods were collected from touristic settlements to agricultural lands. Five gastropod species: Theba pisana, Cornu aspersum, Deroceras reticulatum, Milax gagates and Otala lactea, had been previously incriminated as A. cantonensis intermediate hosts, while 6 species: Papillifera papillaris, Cochlicella acuta, Eobania vermiculata, Ganula lanuginosa, Milax nigricans and Rumina decollata, are newly recorded hosts. The findings of this study have important epidemiological implications, and further measures are discussed to prevent neuroangiostrongylosis cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastià Jaume-Ramis
- Mediterranean Parasitology and Ecoepidemiology Research Group, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | - Alberto Martínez-Ortí
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Valencian Museum of Natural History – i\Biotaxa, Alginet, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sofía Delgado-Serra
- Mediterranean Parasitology and Ecoepidemiology Research Group, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | - María Dolores Bargues
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Santiago Mas-Coma
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Foronda
- Department Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Claudia Paredes-Esquivel
- Mediterranean Parasitology and Ecoepidemiology Research Group, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
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Rollins RL, Medeiros MC, Cowie RH. Stressed snails release Angiostrongylus cantonensis (rat lungworm) larvae in their slime. One Health 2023; 17:100658. [PMID: 38116454 PMCID: PMC10728333 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the influence of stress on release of Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae from a snail host, Parmarion martensi. We subjected 140 infected, wild-caught P. martensi to three stress-inducing treatments (heat, molluscicide, physical disturbance) and an unstressed control treatment for 24 h, after which larval presence and abundance in the slime were quantified by qPCR targeting the ITS1 region of the parasite's DNA, and compared among treatments. The significance of stress and host infection load on larval release was determined by generalized linear mixed models and permutation tests. The results indicated that stress significantly increased the probability of larval presence in slime and the number of larvae released, and highly infected snails were also more likely to release larvae. Among stressed snails, 13.3% released larvae into slime, the number of larvae present in the slime ranging from 45.5 to 4216. Unstressed controls released no larvae. This study offers a partial explanation for conflicting results from prior studies regarding A. cantonensis presence in snail slime and sheds light on the broader One Health implications. Stress-induced larval release highlights the potential role of slime as a medium for pathogen transmission to accidental, paratenic, definitive and other intermediate hosts. These findings emphasize the importance of considering stress-mediated interactions in host-parasite systems and their implications for zoonotic disease emergence. As stressors continue to escalate because of anthropogenic activities and climate change, understanding the role of stress in pathogen shedding and transmission becomes increasingly important for safeguarding human and wildlife health within the One Health framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randi L. Rollins
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, 3050 Maile Way, Gilmore 408, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, 3190 Maile Way, St. John 101, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Matthew C.I. Medeiros
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, 1800 East West Road, LSB 316, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Robert H. Cowie
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, 3050 Maile Way, Gilmore 408, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
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Anettová L, Šipková A, Izquierdo-Rodriguez E, Velič V, Modrý D. Rat lungworm survives winter: experimental overwintering of Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae in European slugs. Parasitology 2023; 150:950-955. [PMID: 37614202 PMCID: PMC10577657 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182023000781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
The rat lungworm Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a metastrongyloid nematode that causes neurological disorders in its accidental hosts, including humans. This invasive pathogen is native to Southeast Asia and adjacent regions and is gradually expanding its distribution to tropical and subtropical areas with new foci discovered near temperate regions. The parasite has a complex life cycle with a range of gastropods serving as intermediate hosts. A broad spectrum of poikilotherm vertebrates and invertebrates can serve as paratenic hosts. Since it has already been demonstrated that other, non-zoonotic metastrongyloids can survive in their intermediate hosts during the winter, the aim of our study was to evaluate the survival of A. cantonensis third-stage larvae in experimentally infected slugs (Limax maximus) kept at 4.5–7°C for 60 days. Third-stage larvae of A. cantonensis survived the period of low temperature and remained capable of infecting definitive hosts (laboratory rats) afterwards, even though their numbers dropped significantly. These results suggest that further spread to higher latitudes or altitudes is possible in areas with sufficient abundance of definitive hosts, since low winter temperatures are not necessarily an obstacle to the spread of the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Anettová
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Šipková
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Elena Izquierdo-Rodriguez
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Toxicology, Legal and Forensic Medicine and Parasitology, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Vivienne Velič
- University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - David Modrý
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center of Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources/CINeZ, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
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Cowie RH, Malik R, Morgan ER. Comparative biology of parasitic nematodes in the genus Angiostrongylus and related genera. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2023; 121:65-197. [PMID: 37474239 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2023.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
The rise to prominence of some Angiostrongylus species through associated emerging disease in humans and dogs has stimulated calls for a renewed focus on the biology of this genus and three related genera. Although significant research efforts have been made in recent years these have tended to focus on individual species and specific aspects such as diagnosis and treatment of disease or new records of occurrence and hosts. This comprehensive review takes a comparative approach, seeking commonalities and differences among species and asking such questions as: Which species belong to this and to closely related genera and how are they related? Why do only some species appear to be spreading geographically and what factors might underlie range expansion? Which animal species are involved in the life cycles as definitive, intermediate, paratenic and accidental hosts? How do parasite larvae find, infect and develop within these hosts? What are the consequences of infection for host health? How will climate change affect future spread and global health? Appreciating how species resemble and differ from each other shines a spotlight on knowledge gaps and provides provisional guidance on key species characteristics warranting detailed study. Similarities exist among species, including the basic life cycle and transmission processes, but important details such as host range, climatic requirements, migration patterns within hosts and disease mechanisms differ, with much more information available for A. cantonensis and A. vasorum than for other species. Nonetheless, comparison across Angiostrongylus reveals some common patterns. Historically narrow definitive host ranges are expanding with new knowledge, combining with very broad ranges of intermediate gastropod hosts and vertebrate and invertebrate paratenic and accidental hosts to provide the backdrop to complex interactions among climate, ecology and transmission that remain only partly understood, even for the species of dominant concern. Key outstanding questions concern larval dynamics and the potential for transmission outside trophic relations, relations between infection and disease severity in different hosts, and how global change is altering transmission beyond immediate impacts on development rate in gastropods. The concept of encounter and compatibility filters could help to explain differences in the relative importance of different gastropod species as intermediate hosts and determine the importance of host community composition and related environmental factors to transmission and range. Across the group, it remains unclear what, physiologically, immunologically or taxonomically, delimits definitive, accidental and paratenic hosts. Impacts of infection on definitive host fitness and consequences for population dynamics and transmission remain mostly unexplored across the genus. Continual updating and cross-referencing across species of Angiostrongylus and related genera is important to synthesise rapid advances in understanding of key traits and behaviours, especially in important Angiostrongylus species that are emerging causative agents of disease in humans and other animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert H Cowie
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawaii, Maile Way, Gilmore, Honolulu, HI, United States.
| | - Richard Malik
- Centre for Veterinary Education, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Eric R Morgan
- Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, United Kingdom; School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, North Somerset, United Kingdom
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Thiengo SC, Ramos-de-Souza J, Silva GM, Fernandez MA, Silva EF, Sousa AKP, Rodrigues PS, Mattos AC, Costa RAF, Gomes SR. Parasitism of terrestrial gastropods by medically-important nematodes in Brazil. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:1023426. [PMID: 36467665 PMCID: PMC9715018 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1023426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
An ample variety of parasitic associations are found between mollusks and nematodes, in which the mollusks may act as intermediate, paratenic or definitive hosts. Some free-living nematodes, in particular those of the order Rhabditida, are also found frequently in terrestrial mollusks. The present study reviews the results of the parasitological testing on samples of terrestrial mollusks conducted at the Brazilian National Reference Laboratory for Schistosomiasis and Malacology between 2008 and 2021. The samples were supplied primarily by the public health authorities from the different regions of Brazil, but also by research institutions and general population. The mollusks were processed individually and the obtained larvae were identified from their morphology and, whenever necessary, by molecular analysis. A total of 1,919 service orders were registered during the period, including 19,758 mollusk specimens collected from 23 of the 26 Brazilian states, as well as the Federal District, totalizing 145 municipalities. There was a marked predominance of the synanthropic species that are widely distributed in Brazil-Achatina fulica (87.08%), Bulimulus tenuissimus (4.18%), Bradybaena similaris (2.06%), and Sarasinula linguaeformis (1.50%). Of the 16,750 terrestrial mollusks examined, nematodes were recorded in 1,308 service orders, with the predominance of the superfamily Metastrongyloidea, in 616 service orders. They included Angiostrongylus cantonensis, rat lungworm, which was found in 252 samples, and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in 145 samples. Free-living nematodes were found in 952 samples, Ancylostoma caninum and Cruzia tentaculata (previously identified as Strongyluris sp.) in one and 275 samples, respectively, and other parasites in 210 samples (not identified). The results highlight the diversity of the associations between nematodes and terrestrial mollusks in Brazil, in particular invasive and synanthropic species, with emphasis on the giant African land snail, Achatina fulica. They demonstrate the prominent role of this species of mollusk in the transmission of medically-important nematodes, which affect the health of both humans and animals, in particular eosinophilic meningitis, which is caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis. This reinforces the need for more studies, and justify the growing demand for information as well as parasitological diagnosis of this mollusk, given its wide distribution in Brazil and its impact as an urban pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvana C. Thiengo
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Esquistossomose - Malacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jucicleide Ramos-de-Souza
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Esquistossomose - Malacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Parasitária, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Guilherme M. Silva
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Esquistossomose - Malacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Departamento de Metodologia da Enfermagem, Escola de Enfermagem Anna Nery, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Monica A. Fernandez
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Esquistossomose - Malacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Elizangela F. Silva
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Esquistossomose - Malacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde-Pública e Meio Ambiente, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sérgio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Arielly K. P. Sousa
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Esquistossomose - Malacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Paulo S. Rodrigues
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Esquistossomose - Malacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Parasitária, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Aline C. Mattos
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Esquistossomose - Malacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ruam A. F. Costa
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Esquistossomose - Malacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Suzete R. Gomes
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Esquistossomose - Malacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Turck HC, Fox MT, Cowie RH. Paratenic hosts of Angiostrongylus cantonensis and their relation to human neuroangiostrongyliasis globally. One Health 2022; 15:100426. [PMID: 36277113 PMCID: PMC9582568 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2022.100426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The nematode parasite Angiostrongylus cantonensis (rat lungworm) has a complex life cycle involving rats (definitive hosts) and gastropods (intermediate hosts), as well as various paratenic hosts. Humans become infected and develop rat lungworm disease (neuroangiostrongyliasis) when they consume intermediate or paratenic hosts containing the infective parasite larvae. This study synthesizes knowledge of paratenic hosts of A. cantonensis and investigates their role in causing human neuroangiostrongyliasis worldwide. A literature review was conducted by searching PubMed, JSTOR and Scopus, pooling additional information from sources accumulated over many years by RHC, and snowball searching. The review identified 138 relevant articles published between 1962 and 2022. Freshwater prawns/shrimp, crayfish, crabs, flatworms, fish, sea snakes, frogs, toads, newts, lizards, centipedes, cattle, pigs and snails were reported to act as paratenic hosts in various regions including South and Southeast Asia, Pacific islands, the USA and the Caribbean, as well as experimentally. Human cases of neuroangiostrongyliasis have been reported from the 1960s onwards, linked, sometimes speculatively, to consumption of freshwater prawns/shrimp, crabs, flatworms, fish, frogs, toads, lizards and centipedes. The potential of paratenic hosts to cause neuroangiostrongyliasis depends on whether they are eaten, how frequently they are consumed, the preparation method, including whether eaten raw or undercooked, and whether they are consumed intentionally or accidentally. It also depends on infection prevalence in the host populations and probably on how high the parasite load is in the consumed hosts. To prevent human infections, it is crucial to interrupt the transmission of rat lungworm to humans, from both intermediate hosts and frequently consumed paratenic hosts, by adhering to safe food preparation protocols. Educating the general public and the medical community about this largely neglected tropical/subtropical disease is key. Neuroangiostrongyliasis, an emerging parasitic disease of humans and wildlife. Caused by the nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis (rat lungworm). Infection primarily via ingestion of stage 3 larvae of the parasite. People eat raw intermediate or paratenic hosts infected with stage 3 larvae. Comprehensive review of paratenic hosts’ role in neuroangiostrongyliasis globally.
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Stanicka A, Maciaszek R, Cichy A, Templin J, Świderek W, Żbikowska E, Labecka AM. Unwanted ‘hitchhikers’ of ornamental snails: A case report of digeneans transported via the international pet trade. THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2022.2065039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- A. Stanicka
- Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Torun, Poland
| | - R. Maciaszek
- Department of Animal Genetics and Conservation, Institute of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - A. Cichy
- Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Torun, Poland
| | - J. Templin
- Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Torun, Poland
| | - W. Świderek
- Department of Animal Genetics and Conservation, Institute of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - E. Żbikowska
- Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Torun, Poland
| | - A. M. Labecka
- Faculty of Biology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
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The invasive giant African land snail, Achatina fulica (Gastropoda: Pulmonata): global geographical distribution of this species as host of nematodes of medical and veterinary importance. J Helminthol 2022; 96:e86. [DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x22000761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The giant African land snail, Achatina fulica, is an important invasive species in many countries, where it causes losses in biodiversity and agriculture, as well as impacting the health of both humans and animals, as the intermediate host of medically important nematodes. The present study is based on a comprehensive review of the literature on the nematodes that have been found in association with A. fulica, worldwide. We searched a number of different databases and used the findings to investigate the methods used to extract and identify the nematodes, their larval stages, and environment and collecting procedures of the infected molluscs. Between 1965 and 2021, 11 nematode species were recorded in association with A. fulica in 21 countries. Most of the studies recorded associations between A. fulica and Angiostrongylus cantonensis, which causes cerebral angiostrongyliasis in humans and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, which provokes pneumonia in felines. The nematodes were extracted primarily by artificial digestion with hydrochloric acid or pepsin, and identified based on their morphology or through experimental infection to obtain the adult. In most cases, the nematodes were at larval stage L3, and the infected A. fulica were collected from anthropogenic environments. The results demonstrate the importance of A. fulica as a host of nematodes of medical and veterinary importance, as well the contribution of anthropogenic environments to the occurrence of the parasites, and give information about the different methods used to collect and identify the nematodes found associated with this species.
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