- 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. [Review]J Helminthol. 2022 Dec 01; 96:e86.JH
- 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 w…
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- Autochthonous Angiostrongylus cantonensis Lungworms in Urban Rats, Valencia, Spain, 2021. [Journal Article]
- To determine the role of rats as potential reservoirs of zoonotic parasites, we examined rats trapped in urban sewers of Valencia, Spain, in 2021. Morphologic and molecular identification and sequencing identified autochthonous Angiostrongylus cantonensis nematodes, the most common cause of human eosinophilic meningitis, in pulmonary arteries of Rattus norvegicus and R. rattus rats.
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- Neuroangiostrongyliasis: Global Spread of an Emerging Tropical Disease. [Journal Article]
- 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, Afric…
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- Immunoanalysis of different antigenic preparations of Angiostrongylus cantonensis for neuroangiostrongyliasis diagnosis improvement. [Journal Article]
- CONCLUSIONS: The results point to the possibility of use of raw female antigens in association with alkaline membrane antigens extracted from adult worms to aid in diagnosis and helps initiate neuroangiostrongyliasis surveillance and control actions.
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- Epidemiological, clinical and laboratory aspects of Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection: an integrative review. [Review]Braz J Biol. 2022; 82:e262109.BJ
- This integrative literature review study analyzes the findings of the last 5 years of the parasite Angiostrongylus cantonensis. It is known that this nematode is found in the pulmonary arteries of rats, where it remains as a definitive host. From mice, the cycle spreads to animals, such as snails, which in contact with humans can trigger the disease. In humans, the parasite causes several neurolo…
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- Parasitism in Rattus rattus and sympatric Achatina fulica by Angiostrongylus cantonensis in an urban park in southeast Brazil. [Journal Article]
- In this study, rodents (Rattus rattus) and mollusks (Achatina fulica) were captured in a small forest located in a large metropolitan city in Brazil, and they were examined to investigate possible parasitism by Angiostrongylus cantonensis. The parasites were recovered as helminths from the pulmonary arteries of the synanthropic rodents and as third-stage larvae (with Metastrongylidae family chara…
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- [First report of invasive Pomacea snails in Shandong Province]. [Journal Article]Zhongguo Xue Xi Chong Bing Fang Zhi Za Zhi. 2022 Jul 27; 34(4):407-411.ZX
- CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of invasive Pomacea snails in Shandong Province, where P. canaliculata and P. maculata are found.
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- Evaluation of the mechanism of action of albendazole on adult rat lungworm (Angiostrongyluscantonensis). [Journal Article]
- Albendazole is considered the anthelmintic of choice for the management of rat lungworm disease (neuroangiostrongyliasis), due to its broad spectrum of nematocidal activity and its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. Albendazole binds to β-tubulins, preventing their polymerization into microtubules, thereby corrupting the cascade of cell division at metaphase, which ultimately leads to the …
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- A Rare Etiology for Ascending Paralysis in an Infant. [Journal Article]J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2022 Oct 25; 11(10):448-451.JP
- An 11-month-old male infant with ascending paralysis had an unremarkable initial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis and imaging. Progressive neurological symptoms resulted in repeated CSF sampling, microscopy, and plasma microbial cell-free DNA next-generation sequencing analysis, that in combination with epidemiology, confirmed the diagnosis.
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- Susceptibility of Angiostrongylus cantonensis Larvae to Anthelmintic Drugs. [Journal Article]
- Human helminthiasis affects approximately one in five people in the world and disproportionally affects the poorest and most deprived communities. Human angiostrongyliasis, caused by nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis, is a neglected emerging disease with escalating importance worldwide. Chemotherapy is the main control method for helminthiasis, but the therapeutic arsenal is limited. This stud…
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- Stat3/IL-6 signaling mediates sustained pneumonia induced by Agiostrongylus cantonensis. [Journal Article]
- Angiostrongylus cantonensis (AC) is well-documented that parasitizes the host brain and causes eosinophilic meningitis. The migration route of AC in permissive hosts is well demonstrated, while in nonpermissive hosts, it remains to be fully defined. In the present study, we exploited live imaging technology, morphological and pathological configuration analysis, and molecular biological technolog…
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- Angiostrongylus cantonensis Nematode Invasion Pathway, Mallorca, Spain. [Journal Article]
- Neural angiostrongyliasis is an emerging zoonosis caused by the rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis. In humans, infection with this nematode often results in eosinophilic meningitis and other severe disorders of the central nervous system. Europe was deemed a nonendemic region until 2018, when A. cantonensis worms were detected on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca, Spain, a tourism hotsp…
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- Improvements of cognitive functions in mice heavily infected by Angiostrongylus cantonensis after treatment with albendazole, dexamethasone, or co-therapy. [Journal Article]J Microbiol Immunol Infect. 2022 Oct; 55(5):935-945.JM
- Angiostrongylus cantonensis, the causative agent of human eosinophilic meningitis and eosinophilic meningoencepalitis, has been reported to cause cognitive impairments in the host. To determine whether drug treatment improves the cognitive functions, BALB/c mice infected with 50 third-stage larvae were treated with albendazole, dexamethasone, or co-therapy since day 7 or 14 post-infection for one…
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- Angiostrongylus cantonensis in a Red Ruffed Lemur at a Zoo, Louisiana, USA. [Journal Article]
- A red ruffed lemur (Varecia rubra) from a zoo in Louisiana, USA, was euthanized for worsening paresis. Brain and spinal cord histology identified eosinophilic meningoencephalomyelitis with intralesional adult Angiostrongylus sp. nematodes. PCR and sequencing confirmed A. cantonensis infection, indicating this parasite constitutes an emerging zoonosis in the southeastern United States.
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- Host transmission dynamics of first- and third-stage Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae in Bullastra lessoni. [Journal Article]Parasitology. 2022 07; 149(8):1034-1044.P
- Given the importance of angiostrongyliasis as an emerging infectious disease of humans, companion animals, and wildlife, the current study focused on the transmission dynamics of first- and third-stage larvae of the parasitic nematode, Angiostrongylus cantonensis. The migration of infective larvae and their subsequent distribution within the Lymnaeidae snail, Bullastra lessoni, were investigated …
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- Eosinophilic meningitis due to A. Cantonensis revealed at autopsy. [Case Reports]Indian J Pathol Microbiol. 2022 Apr-Jun; 65(2):420-421.IJ
- Parasitic infection of the central nervous system could be fatal, and its incidence is rising due to increasing worldwide travel. Amongst the various nematodes, Angiostrongylus contonensis is the commonest and causes eosinophilic meningitis. It is a zoonotic disease produced due to the ingestion of raw or undercooked snails or slugs. Most cases of angiostrongyliasis are mild and self-limiting, bu…
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- Synaptic loss and progression in mice infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis in the early stage. [Journal Article]
- CONCLUSIONS: The synaptic loss caused by the infection of A. cantonensis provides a possible explanation for the impairment of cognitive functions in mice. The loss of cognitive functions may occur before severe immunological and pathological changes in the infected host.
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- Larvicidal Efficacy of Ozone and Ultrasound on Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Rat Lungworm) Third-Stage Larvae. [Journal Article]
- The parasitic nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis (rat lungworm) is the leading cause of human eosinophilic meningitis worldwide. Most human infections occur through the accidental consumption of A. cantonensis hidden within produce as infectious third-stage larvae (L3), yet little research has been published addressing possible methods to mitigate this means of transmission. Here, we describe o…
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- IL-17A Mediates Demyelination by Activating A1 Astrocytes via SOCS3 During Angiostrongylus cantonensis Infection. [Journal Article]
- CONCLUSIONS: IL-17A plays an important role in demyelination induced by A. cantonensis infection via the IL-17RA/STAT3/SOCS3 pathway in A1-type astrocytes, indicating that specific blockage of IL-17A and SOCS3 activity could be a therapeutic strategy for neuroinflammatory demyelinating diseases associated with astrocyte activation.
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- Angiostrongylus cantonensis an Atypical Presenilin: Epitope Mapping, Characterization, and Development of an ELISA Peptide Assay for Specific Diagnostic of Angiostrongyliasis. [Journal Article]
- CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that the putative AgPS is an atypical multi-pass transmembrane protein and indicate that the protein is an excellent immunological target with two (PsAg3 and PsAg9) A. costarisencis cross-reactive epitopes and eight (PsAg1, PsAg2, PsAg6, PsAg7, PsAg8, PsAg10, PsAg11, PsAg12) apparent unique A. cantonensis epitopes. These epitopes could be used in engineered receptacle proteins to develop a specific immunological diagnostic assay for angiostrongyliasis caused by A. cantonensis.
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- Benzaldehyde Attenuates the Fifth Stage Larval Excretory-Secretory Product of Angiostrongylus cantonensis-Induced Injury in Mouse Astrocytes via Regulation of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Oxidative Stress. [Journal Article]
- Excretory-secretory products (ESPs) are the main research targets for investigating the hosts and helminths interaction. Parasitic worms can migrate to parasitic sites and avoid the host immune response by secreting this product. Angiostrongylus cantonensis is an important food-borne zoonotic parasite that causes severe neuropathological damage and symptoms, including eosinophilic meningitis or m…
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- Eosinophilic meningoencephalitis caused by rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) migration in a white-eared opossum (Didelphis albiventris) with concurrent distemper virus in southern Brazil. [Case Reports]
- Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a worldwide zoonotic parasite that causes eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in many species of animals including humans. This report describes neuro-angiostrongylosis in a white-eared opossum that showed nervous clinical signs such as circling and depression. At necropsy, no relevant macroscopic lesions were observed. Histologically, eosinophilic meningoencephalitis …
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- Rat Lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) in the Invasive Cuban Treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) in Central Florida, USA. [Journal Article]
- Cuban treefrogs, Osteopilus septentrionalis, were grossly examined for parasites and parasite species confirmed by PCR. Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae were recovered from the hind leg muscle of O. septentrionalis. This is the first report of the zoonotic rat lungworm in the Cuban treefrog and new geographic location (Volusia County) in Florida, US.
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- Control of the Invasive Agricultural Pest Pomacea canaliculata with a Novel Molluscicide: Efficacy and Safety to Nontarget Species. [Journal Article]
- The golden apple snail Pomacea canaliculata is an invasive pest that causes extensive damage to agricultural production. P. canaliculata is also an intermediate host of Angiostrongylus cantonensis, which causes human eosinophilic meningitis. In this study, the molluscicidal activity and safety profile of a novel molluscicide PBQ [1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(pyridin-3-yl)urea] were evaluated. PBQ exhibi…
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- Angiostrongylosis meningomyelitis without blood eosinophilia. [Case Reports]J Infect Dev Ctries. 2021 12 31; 15(12):1933-1936.JI
- Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Gnathostoma spinigerum usually cause eosinophilic meningitis with associated peripheral blood eosinophilia. A 44-year-old man developed acute paraplegia with bowel and bladder dysfunction. Spinal magnetic resonance images showed a long T2W hyperintensity signal from the 1st to 8th spinal thoracic level. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed eosinophilia and elevate…
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- Heme oxygenase-1 modulates brain inflammation and apoptosis in mice with angiostrongyliasis. [Journal Article]Parasitol Int. 2022 Apr; 87:102528.PI
- The rat nematode lungworm Angiostrongylus cantonensis undergoes obligatory intracerebral migration in its hosts and causes eosinophilic meningitis or meningoencephalitis. Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) has several cytoprotective properties such as anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects. HO-1 in brain tissues was induced in A. cantonensis-infected group and showed positive modulati…
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- First Case of Subretinal Ocular Angiostrongyliasis Associated with Retinal Detachment in the United States. [Case Reports]
- Angiostrongylus cantonensis, commonly known as the rat lungworm, is mostly found in Asia, the Pacific Basin, and the Caribbean, but is also endemic in Hawai'i, especially on the Island of Hawai'i. Ocular angiostrongyliasis is an uncommon but previously reported complication associated with permanent vision loss. This is the first reported case of ocular angiostrongyliasis involving the retina or …
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- Comparative proteomics suggests the mode of action of a novel molluscicide against the invasive apple snail Pomacea canaliculata, intermediate host of Angiostrongylus cantonensis. [Journal Article]Mol Biochem Parasitol. 2022 01; 247:111431.MB
- Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a zoonotic parasitic nematode that is the most common cause of human eosinophilic meningitis. The invasive apple snail Pomacea canaliculata is an important intermediate host of A. cantonensis and contributes to its spread. P. canaliculata control will help prevent its invasion and transmission of A. cantonensis. The new molluscicide PBQ (1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(pyridi…
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- A restored humoral environment ameliorates acute brain injury after Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection. [Journal Article]Acta Trop. 2022 Feb; 226:106232.AT
- Circulating factors in the circulatory system support important functions of living tissues and the body. Parabiosis is a condition in which two living animals are connected using surgical methods and share a single circulatory system. Angiostrongylus cantonensis is the major cause of infectious eosinophilic meningitis, which causes severe damage to the central nervous system (CNS) and immune sys…
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- Angiostrongylosis in Animals and Humans in Europe. [Review]
- Lungworms in the genus Angiostrongylus cause disease in animals and humans. The spread of Angiostrongylus vasorum within Europe and the recent establishment of Angiostrongylus cantonensis increase the relevance of these species to veterinary and medical practitioners, and to researchers in parasitology, epidemiology, veterinary science and ecology. This review introduces the key members of the ge…
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