In a context of food security of animal consumption and diversification of protein sources, we have studied the risks to contract metazoan parasites through the consumption of 'gros-gris' snails (Cornu aspersum maximum) sampled in 12 French farms. The dissection of 361 adult snails, born and reared in France, revealed a very low parasite prevalence of 0.55% [Confidence interval: 0.15%-2.00%]. Each of the two parasitized snails harboured a single larva of the trematode Brachylaima at the metacercarial stage in its kidney. For its development, Brachylaima requires the presence of both terrestrial gastropods (first and second intermediate hosts) and vertebrates (definitive hosts) such as rodents and birds which faeces contain parasite' eggs. As for these vertebrate hosts, humans can be infected through the ingestion of parasitized snails and then harboured the parasite at an adult stage in the intestine, which could lead to digestive pathology. Our preliminary results suggest however very limited parasitological risks of the consumption of snails if they are born and reared in France, contrarily to wild snails from the subspecies C. aspersum aspersum ('petit-gris'), frequently found infected not only by Brachylaima, but also by nematodes and mites. In order to avoid snail contamination in helicicultures as much as possible, we recommend preventing intrusion of vertebrates, potentially parasitized, in the parks.

During routine meat inspection, eosinophilic myositis-like lesions were detected in the masseter muscles of a 55-month-old bovine, leading to partial condemnation of the head. The lesions appeared as multiple round, yellowish-green areas, suggestive of a parasitic aetiology. Histopathological and molecular analyses were performed, and PCR sequencing identified Sarcocystis hominis, S. cruzi and S. heydorni. Of these, S. hominis and S. heydorni are zoonotic. Humans may acquire infection by consuming raw or undercooked beef containing viable sarcocysts. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of zoonotic Sarcocystis in cattle in Portugal. These findings underscore the importance of meat inspection as a tool for active surveillance and for protecting both animal and public health.

Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) and black rats (Rattus rattus) are the definitive hosts and primary reservoirs of Angiostrongylus cantonensis, an emerging zoonotic parasite globally considered the leading cause of human eosinophilic meningoencephalitis. A. cantonensis surveillance in rodent populations in Europe has been conducted in restricted geographic areas, but large-scale epidemiological studies remain lacking. We aimed to determine the prevalence of A. cantonensis in rat populations across mainland Spain and assess the spatial distribution of the parasite. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted between 2022 and 2025, comprising a total of 407 individuals (244 Norway rats and 163 black rats). During necropsy, cardiopulmonary tissues were systematically collected and examined under a stereomicroscope for the presence of adult A. cantonensis. In addition, a nested molecular technique was performed to confirm the taxonomic identity of adult nematodes visualized during stereomicroscopic examination. Cardiopulmonary dissection revealed that only two individuals out of 407 (0.5%; 95% CI: 0.1-1.8), both black rats (Rattus rattus) from Valencia (eastern mainland Spain), harboured adult nematodes morphologically compatible with A. cantonensis in the heart. These parasites were successfully sequenced and molecularly confirmed as A. cantonensis, exhibiting 100% nucleotide identity with A. cantonensis sequences previously reported from gastropods in Spain and the USA. These findings evidence a localized distribution of A. cantonensis in rats across mainland Spain. Nevertheless, conducting continuous One Health surveillance of A. cantonensis in Europe is essential to fully understand the epidemiology of this parasite and to assess the associated potential public health risks across the continent.

Rickettsial infections are usually investigated in febrile patients, whereas molecular evidence from clinically asymptomatic populations remains limited. In this study, we screened 50 apparently healthy adult male Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel stationed in Dirang, West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh, during December 2025. Of the 50 individuals, 27 (54.0%) were positive by nested gltA PCR and by TaqMan real-time PCR. A subset of 15/27 (55.6%) were additionally positive for 17 kDa. None reported fever, rash, eschar, lymphadenopathy, or hospitalization around sampling and/or during follow-ups. Sequencing placed the gltA and 17 kDa amplicons within spotted fever group rickettsiae, with affinity to R. hoogstraalii/R. asemboensis lineage. These findings provide multi-targeted molecular evidence of spotted fever group (SFG) like Rickettsia in clinically asymptomatic border personnel and highlight the need for serology, longitudinal follow-up, and vector surveillance to clarify its epidemiological significance.