Angiostrongylus cantonensis Nematode Invasion Pathway, Mallorca, Spain

Autor: Sofia Delgado-Serra, Jessica Sola, Nieves Negre, Claudia Paredes-Esquivel
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Emerging Infectious Diseases, Vol 28, Iss 6, Pp 1163-1169 (2022)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1080-6040
1080-6059
DOI: 10.3201/eid2806.212344
Popis: 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 hotspot. Since that time, a sentinel surveillance system and a molecular approach have been used to follow the invasion path of the rat lungworm on the island. A. cantonensis worms have been found in animals from 8 locations on the island over 3 consecutive years. Our preliminary results show a recognizable pattern of clinical signs in infected hedgehogs and a single mitochondrial haplotype circulating in Mallorca. We present strong evidence confirming that the rat lungworm has successfully established and colonized an island in Europe and discuss observations and possible strategies for its early detection across continental Europe.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals