Species Identity and Size are Associated with Rat Lungworm Infection in Gastropods
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Ó 2020 EcoHealth Alliance
Original Contribution
Species Identity and Size are Associated with Rat Lungworm Infection in Gastropods Matthew C. I. Medeiros,1 Randi L. Rollins,2,3 Ma Vida Echaluse,1 and Robert H. Cowie2 1
Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawai‘i at Ma¯noa, 1993 East West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822 Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawai‘i at Ma¯noa, 3050 Maile Way, Gilmore 408, Honolulu, HI 96822 3 Department of Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Ma¯noa, 2538 McCarthy Mall, Edmondson 216, Honolulu, HI 96822 2
Abstract: Angiostrongylus cantonensis, the rat lungworm, is an emerging zoonotic pathogen that cycles between definitive rat and intermediate gastropod hosts. Zoonotic infection occurs when humans intentionally or accidentally consume infectious larvae in a gastropod host, and may manifest as neuroangiostrongyliasis, characterized by eosinophilic meningitis, severe neurological impairment, and even death. Thus, the risk of A. cantonensis zoonoses may be related to the distribution of A. cantonensis larvae across gastropod hosts. We screened 16 gastropod species from 14 communities on the island of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, USA, to characterize the distribution of A. cantonensis among species and across host size. Prevalence (proportion of the population infected) and infection intensity (density of worms in host tissue) varied among gastropod species. Prevalence also varied with gastropod host size, but this relationship differed among host species. Most host species showed a positive increase in the probability of infection with host size, suggesting that within species relatively larger hosts had higher prevalence. The density of worms in an infected snail was unrelated to host size. These results suggest that variation in A. cantonensis infection is associated with demographic structure and composition of gastropod communities, which could underlie heterogeneity in the risk of human angiostrongyliasis across landscapes. Keywords: Angiostrongylus cantonensis, rat lungworm, Angiostrongyliasis, host size, zoonosis, snails
INTRODUCTION Zoonotic diseases may account for 75% of emerging infectious disease worldwide, a considerable proportion of
Electronic supplementary material: The online version of this article (https://doi. org/10.1007/s10393-020-01484-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Correspondence to: Matthew C. I. Medeiros, e-mail: [email protected]
the public health burden (Taylor et al. 2001). The multihost life cycles and diverse animal sources of many zoonotic pathogens complicate transmission dynamics and undermine our ability to resolve the transmission pathways that lead to human infections. However, understanding these drivers is paramount as they inform public health strategies and management aimed at suppressing zoonoses. Angiostrongylus cantonensis, the rat lungworm, is a zoonotic pathogen that circulates between gastropods and rats, respectively, the intermediate and definitive hosts. The
M. C. I. Medeiros
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