Paratenic hosts of Angiostrongylus cantonensis and their relation to human neuroangiostrongyliasis globally

Turck, Helena C.; M, Fox; Cowie, Robert H.

doi:10.1016/j.onehlt.2022.100426

Cited by 30 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 105 publications

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“…Rats (definitive hosts) and snails and slugs (intermediate hosts; hereafter “snails”) are both required to complete the natural life cycle. 9 Paratenic hosts (e.g., freshwater prawns, frogs and toads, and land crabs, with centipedes most recently reported), 22 in which the infectious stage 3 larvae (L3) are acquired by ingestion of intermediate hosts or other paratenic hosts carrying L3, do not support development of the L3. However, paratenic hosts, in which the L3 remain dormant, can still infect accidental hosts ( Figure 2 ).…”

Section: Infection Pathwaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Raw or undercooked snails are also eaten as delicacies, especially in parts of China and Thailand. 30 , 31 Among paratenic hosts, 22 freshwater prawns are widely eaten raw, especially in French Polynesia, where they have been heavily implicated in epidemics of NAS since the 1950s. 32 The liver, meat, tongue, and testes of monitor lizards are eaten in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Laos, primarily by men who believe these organs will improve their strength and virility.…”

Section: Infection Pathwaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Neuroangiostrongyliasis: Global Spread of an Emerging Tropical Disease

Cowie

Ansdell

Dunavan

et al. 2022

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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Neuroangiostrongyliasis (NAS) is an emerging parasitic disease caused by the neurotropic nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Since it was first discovered, in rats in southern China in the 1930s, this tropical to subtropical parasite has spread to much of Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands (including Hawaii), Australia, Japan, South America, the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, Africa, the Canary Islands, and the Balearic Islands. The parasite completes its natural life cycle in snails and slugs (intermediate hosts), and rats (definitive hosts). Humans become accidental hosts after ingesting infective third-stage larvae contained within uncooked or undercooked intermediate or paratenic hosts, an event that sometimes results in NAS, also known as rat lungworm disease. Although A. cantonensis larvae cannot complete their life cycle in humans, their migration into the brain and spinal cord combined with a powerful inflammatory reaction often leads to eosinophilic meningitis and can, in rare instances, lead to coma, paralysis, and death or, in other cases, chronic, disabling neurologic sequelae. Symptoms of NAS are diverse, which often makes it difficult to diagnose. Treatment may include administration of analgesics, corticosteroids, anthelminthics, and repeat lumbar punctures to reduce intracranial pressure. Unfortunately, few medical providers, even in endemic areas, are familiar with A. cantonensis or its epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment. As the parasite continues to spread and NAS affects more people, medical practitioners, as well as the general public, must become more aware of this emerging zoonosis and the potentially devastating harm it can cause.

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Section: Infection Pathwaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Infection Pathwaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neuroangiostrongyliasis: Global Spread of an Emerging Tropical Disease

Cowie

Ansdell

Dunavan

et al. 2022

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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“…The ‘rat lungworm’ ( Angiostrongylus cantonensis ) is a nematode with a unique affinity for the central nervous system (CNS). It is found throughout the Asia-Pacific region, including Hawaii, and more recently in mainland United States and Europe [ 1 – 8 ]. Currently, A .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Angie-LAMP for diagnosis of human eosinophilic meningitis using dog as proxy: A LAMP assay for Angiostrongylus cantonensis DNA in cerebrospinal fluid

Baláž

Rivory

Hayward³

et al. 2023

PLoS Negl Trop Dis

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Background Angiostrongylus cantonensis (rat lungworm) is recognised as the leading cause of human eosinophilic meningitis, a serious condition observed when nematode larvae migrate through the CNS. Canine Neural Angiostrongyliasis (CNA) is the analogous disease in dogs. Both humans and dogs are accidental hosts, and a rapid diagnosis is warranted. A highly sensitive PCR based assay is available but often not readily accessible in many jurisdictions. An alternative DNA amplification assay that would further improve accessibility is needed. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic utility of a newly designed LAMP assay to detect DNA of globally distributed and invasive A. cantonensis and Angiostrongylus mackerrasae, the other neurotropic Angiostrongylus species, which is native to Australia. Methodology/Principal findings Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from dogs with a presumptive diagnosis of A. cantonensis infection (2020–2022) were received for confirmatory laboratory testing and processed for DNA isolation and ultrasensitive Angiostrongylus qPCR targeting AcanR3390. A newly designed LAMP assay targeting the same gene target was directly compared to the reference ultrasensitive qPCR in a diagnostic laboratory setting to determine the presence of A. cantonensis DNA to diagnose CNA. The LAMP assay (Angie-LAMP) allowed the sensitive detection of A. cantonensis DNA from archived DNA specimens (Kappa = 0.81, 95%CI 0.69–0.92; n = 93) and rapid single-step lysis of archived CSF samples (Kappa = 0.77, 95%CI 0.59–0.94; n = 52). Only A. cantonensis DNA was detected in canine CSF samples, and co-infection with A. mackerrasae using amplicon deep sequencing (ITS-2 rDNA) was not demonstrated. Both SYD.1 and AC13 haplotypes were detected using sequencing of partial cox1. Conclusions/Significance The Angie-LAMP assay is a useful molecular tool for detecting Angiostrongylus DNA in canine CSF and performs comparably to a laboratory Angiostrongylus qPCR. Adaptation of single-step sample lysis improved potential applicability for diagnosis of angiostrongyliasis in a clinical setting for dogs and by extension, to humans.

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“…Many different types of association have been observed between nematodes and mollusks, including, paratenic, pathogenic, and parasitological relationships, which have been the subject of a wide range of studies since the early twentieth Century (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9). These associations include dozens of species of mollusk that act as the intermediate hosts of medically-important nematodes that threaten the health of both humans and domestic animals (3,7,(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parasitism of terrestrial gastropods by medically-important nematodes in Brazil

Thiengo

Ramos-de-Souza²,

Silva³

et al. 2022

Front. Vet. Sci.

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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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Paratenic hosts of Angiostrongylus cantonensis and their relation to human neuroangiostrongyliasis globally

Cited by 30 publications

References 105 publications

Neuroangiostrongyliasis: Global Spread of an Emerging Tropical Disease

Neuroangiostrongyliasis: Global Spread of an Emerging Tropical Disease

Angie-LAMP for diagnosis of human eosinophilic meningitis using dog as proxy: A LAMP assay for Angiostrongylus cantonensis DNA in cerebrospinal fluid

Parasitism of terrestrial gastropods by medically-important nematodes in Brazil

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