Diverse Gastropod Hosts of Angiostrongylus cantonensis, the Rat Lungworm, Globally and with a Focus on the Hawaiian Islands

Abstract

Eosinophilic meningitis caused by the parasitic nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis is an emerging infectious disease with recent outbreaks primarily in tropical and subtropical locations around the world, including Hawaii. Humans contract the disease primarily through ingestion of infected gastropods, the intermediate hosts of Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Effective prevention of the disease and control of the spread of the parasite require a thorough understanding of the parasite's hosts, including their distributions, as well as the human and environmental factors that contribute to transmission. The aim of this study was to screen a large cross section of gastropod species throughout the main Hawaiian Islands to determine which act as hosts of Angiostrongylus cantonensis and to assess the parasite loads in these species. Molecular screening of 7 native and 30 non-native gastropod species revealed the presence of the parasite in 16 species (2 native, 14 non-native). Four of the species tested are newly recorded hosts, two species introduced to Hawaii (Oxychilus alliarius, Cyclotropis sp.) and two native species (Philonesia sp., Tornatellides sp.). Those species testing positive were from a wide diversity of heterobranch taxa as well as two distantly related caenogastropod taxa. Review of the global literature showed that many gastropod species from 34 additional families can also act as hosts. There was a wide range of parasite loads among and within species, with an estimated maximum of 2.8 million larvae in one individual of Laevicaulis alte. This knowledge of the intermediate host range of Angiostrongylus cantonensis and the range of parasite loads will permit more focused efforts to detect, monitor and control the most important hosts, thereby improving disease prevention in Hawaii as well as globally.

Parasites of edible land snails in Edo State, Nigeria

“…Another nematode, A. cantonensis larvae were seen only in A. fulica. This nematode has been isolated in giant African land snails elsewhere (Kim et al, 2014;Iwanowicz et al, 2015). Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a common parasite of rats and the cause of the emerging infectious neurologic rat lungworm disease (Jarvi et al 2012).…”

First record of the Japanese land snail Ovachlamys fulgens (Gude, 1900) (Gastropoda, Helicarionidae) in Brazil

“…While these proposed measures may have a negative economic impact, we would like to emphasize that such measures are also supported by the human health concerns that this species presents. Ovachlamys fulgens could be an intermediate host of Angystrongylus cantonensis (Kim et al 2014), which causes eosinophilic meningitis disease; this disease has already been reported in the Baixada Santista region (Guerino et al 2017). The distribution of seedlings and plants and any related activities in localities with confirmed presence of O. fulgens should be prohibited to avoid its dispersion until new information arises.…”

Prevalencia de parásitos nematodos Strongylidos asociados al Caracol africano, Achatina fulica, en el Valle del Cauca, Colombia

“…Another city, Dagua (3º39'N-76º41''W),was located on western flat of the western Andes mountain at 1235 m about mean sea level, 1159 mm, annual precipitation and average La rápida dispersión de A. fulica en áreas tropicales de todo el mundo, y su alto potencial como huésped intermediario de nematodos metastrongiloides, ha llevado a investigaciones sobre su prevalencia parasitaria centrada en los nematodos del género Angiostrongylus, de los cuales la especie A. cantonensis y A. costaricensis han causado cientos de muertes por meningitis eosinofílica, que es endémica de Asia, y angiostrongiliasis abdominal, que es endémica de América, con la presencia de A. fulica asociada en la mayoría de los casos (1,5,8). Recientemente han comenzado a utilizarse herramientas moleculares como anticuerpos, para diagnosticar enfermedades causadas por Angiostrongylus (9), y herramientas morfológicas y moleculares basadas en PCR o alternativamente LAMP se han utilizado para identificar especies de helmintos (10,11).…”

“…Molecular tools have recently begun to be used, such as antibodies, to diagnose diseases caused by Angiostrongylus (9), and morphological and molecular tools based on PCR or alternatively LAMP have been usedin addition to identify helminth species (10,11).…”