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Variation in Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in definitive and intermediate hosts in Hawaii, a global hotspot of rat lungworm disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 September 2020

Chris N. Niebuhr Open the ORCID record for Chris N. Niebuhr [Opens in a new window] ,
Shane R. Siers ,
Israel L. Leinbach ,
Lisa M. Kaluna  and
Susan I. Jarvi Open the ORCID record for Susan I. Jarvi [Opens in a new window]
Chris N. Niebuhr*
Affiliation:
USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Hawaii Field Station, Hilo, HI, USA Manaaki Whenua–Landcare Research, PO Box 69040, Lincoln 7640, New Zealand
Shane R. Siers
Affiliation:
USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Hawaii Field Station, Hilo, HI, USA
Israel L. Leinbach
Affiliation:
USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Hawaii Field Station, Hilo, HI, USA
Lisa M. Kaluna
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, HI, USA
Susan I. Jarvi
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, HI, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Chris N. Niebuhr, E-mail: niebuhrc@landcareresearch.co.nz
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Abstract

Angiostrongylus cantonensis (rat lungworm) is a tropical and subtropical parasitic nematode, with infections in humans causing angiostrongyliasis (rat lungworm disease), characterized by eosinophilic meningitis. Hawaii has been identified as a global hotspot of infection, with recent reports of high infection rates in humans, as well as rat definitive and snail intermediate hosts. This study investigated variation in A. cantonensis infection, both prevalence and intensity, in wild populations of two species of rats (Rattus exulans and R. rattus) and one species of snail (Parmarion martensi). An overall infection prevalence of 86.2% was observed in P. martensi and 63.8% in rats, with R. exulans (77.4%) greater than R. rattus (47.6%). We found infections to vary with environmental and host-related factors. Body mass was a strong predictor of infection in all three species, with different patterns seen between sexes and species of rats. Infection prevalence and intensity for R. exulans were high in May 2018 and again in February 2019, but generally lower and more variable during the intervening months. Information on sources of variability of infection in wild host populations will be a crucial component in predicting the effectiveness of future disease surveillance or targeted management strategies.

Keywords

Angiostrongyliasisdriverseosinophilic meningitisnematodeparasiteParmarionRattusslugsnailtransmission
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 148 , Special Issue 2: 6th International Workshop on Angiostrongylus and Angiostrongyliasis, Hilo, Hawai'i, USA, January, 2020 , February 2021 , pp. 133 - 142
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. This is a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Published by Cambridge University Press.

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