Article
Angiostrongylus cantonensis in urban populations of terrestrial gastropods and rats in an impoverished region of Brazil
Registro en:
SOUZA, Fábio N. et al. Angiostrongylus cantonensis in urban populations of terrestrial gastropods and rats in an impoverished region of Brazil. Parasitology, v. 148, n. 8, p. 994-1002, 12 Apr. 2021.
0031-1820
10.1017/S0031182021000597
1469-8161
Autor
Souza, Fábio N.
Santos, Maisa Aguiar
Alves, Daniele Almeida
Melo, Leyva Cecília Vieira de
Mota, Dan Jessé Gonçalves da
Pertile, Arsinoê Cristina
Gava, Ricardo
Pinto, Pedro Luiz Silva
Eyre, Max T.
Zeppelini, Caio Graco
Reis, Mitermayer Galvão dos
Ko, Albert Icksang
Begon, Mike
Bahiense, Thiago C.
Costa, Federico
Carvalho, Pereira Ticiana
Resumen
Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and Secretariat of Health Surveillance Brazilian Ministry of Health Federal University of Bahia National Institutes of Health of the United States (grant numbers F31 AI114245, R01 AI052473, U01 AI088752, R01 TW009504 and R25 TW009338) Medical Research Council (MR/P024084/1 and MR/T029781/1) Wellcome Trust (102330/Z/13/Z and 218987/Z/19/Z) FAPESB The nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis is the most common cause of neuroangiostrongyliasis (manifested as eosinophilic meningitis) in humans. Gastropod molluscs are used as intermediate hosts and rats of various species are definitive hosts of this parasite. In this study, we identified several environmental factors associated with the presence and abundance of terrestrial gastropods in an impoverished urban region in Brazil. We also found that body condition, age and presence of co-infection with other parasite species in urban Rattus norvegicus, as well as environmental factors were associated with the probability and intensity of A. cantonensis infection. The study area was also found to have a moderate prevalence of the nematode in rodents (33% of 168 individuals). Eight species of molluscs (577 individuals) were identified, four of which were positive for A. cantonensis. Our study indicates that the environmental conditions of poor urban areas (presence of running and standing water, sewage, humidity and accumulated rain and accumulation of construction materials) influenced both the distribution and abundance of terrestrial gastropods, as well as infected rats, contributing to the maintenance of the A. cantonensis transmission cycle in the area. Besides neuroangiostrongyliasis, the presence of these hosts may also contribute to susceptibility to other zoonoses.