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matrix metalloproteinase-9 leads to blood-brain barrier leakage in mice with eosinophilic meningoencephalitis caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis.blood-brain barrier (bbb) disruption is associated with tight junction protein degradation, basal membrane disruption, and astrocyte damage. this study aims to investigate the role of matrix metalloproteinase (mmp)-9 in bbb disruption during angiostrongylus cantonensis infection. we used mice infected with a. cantonensis, in which parasite-induced eosinophilia and inflammation might induce mmp-9 elevation. mmp-9 could cause claudin-5 degradation in endothelium tight junction, collagen type iv de ...201425158284
[analysis and identification of peptide epitope of the fifth stage larvae of angiostrongylus cantonensis].to identify the specific antigens of the fifth stage larvae (larvae v) of angiostrongylus cantonensis in soluble proteins.201425154999
cerebral angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in a captive african pygmy falcon (polihierax semitorquatus) in southern california.a 10-month-old, female african pygmy falcon (polihierax semitorquatus) hatched and housed at the san diego zoo developed neurologic signs and died from a cerebral infection with the rat lungworm angiostrongylus cantonensis. there was an associated mild nonsuppurative meningoencephalitis. this infection was diagnosed on histology and confirmed by detection of species-specific a. cantonensis dna in formalin-fixed and frozen brain tissue by a polymerase chain reaction assay. to the authors' knowled ...201425085869
enolase of angiostrongylus cantonensis: more likely a structural component?the cloned enolase gene of angiostrongylus cantonensis (aceno) comprised 1,667 bp and encoded a peptide with 434 amino acid residues which lacked of a signal peptide but contained a transmembrane region, indicating that aceno tends to be a structural component (intracellular or membrane protein). the real-time pcr revealed a meaningful difference in the expression level of aceno in varied development stages. by immunolocalization, native aceno was detected mainly in the cytoplasm in most tissues ...201425079705
eosinophilic meningitis caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis: an emergent disease in brazil.eosinophilic meningitis (eom) is an acute disease that affects the central nervous system. it is primarily caused by infection with the nematode angiostrongylus cantonensis. this infection was previously restricted to certain asian countries and the pacific islands, but it was first reported in brazil in 2007. since then, intermediate and definitive hosts infected with a. cantonensis have been identified within the urban areas of many states in brazil, including those in the northern, northeaste ...201425075779
[preliminary survey on the host of angiostrongylus cantonensis in three plateau lakes of yunnan province].to investigated the intermediate hosts of angiostrongylus cantonensis in three plateau lakes of yunnan province, and analyze the effect of temperature on a. cantonensis during 1991-2010.201425065215
the pathogenesis of optic neuritis caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis in balb/c mice.one of the most common causes of meningitis in south east asia is angiostrongyliasis or infection by the parasitic nematode angiostrongyliasis cantonensis. although this nematode usually resides in the pulmonary arteries of rats, its incidental occurence in other hosts such as humans can cause optic neuritis and lead to serious vision sequelae. nevertheless, there are currently no systematic studies conducted in this area.201425052055
[comparative analysis of mitochondrial genomes of angiostrongylus cantonensis].to compare the diversity of mitochondrial genomes of angiostrongylus cantonensis in the mainland of china.201425051831
comparative studies on the proteomic expression patterns in the third- and fifth-stage larvae of angiostrongylus cantonensis.angiostrongylus cantonensis is an important zoonotic parasite causing eosinophilic meningitis and eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in humans. in this study, the protein expression profiles of the infective third- and pathogenic fifth-stage larvae (l3 and l5) of this parasite were compared by proteomic techniques. isolated protein samples were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-de), stained with silver nitrate, and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-f ...201425028210
serum aca-mir-146a is a potential biomarker for early diagnosis of angiostrongylus cantonensis infection.infection with angiostrongylus cantonensis can cause eosinophilic meningoencephalitis, but it lacks an effective early diagnostic tool for the disease. recently, growing number of serum micrornas (mirnas) were investigated to serve as potentially noninvasive biomarkers for various diseases. however, it is unclear if the molecule can considered a biomarker for diagnosing the infection of a. cantonensis. here, we attempted to identify potential a. cantonensis-derived mirnas for the early diagnosis ...201424951166
insights into embryo defenses of the invasive apple snail pomacea canaliculata: egg mass ingestion affects rat intestine morphology and growth.the spread of the invasive snail pomacea canaliculata is expanding the rat lungworm disease beyond its native range. their toxic eggs have virtually no predators and unusual defenses including a neurotoxic lectin and a proteinase inhibitor, presumably advertised by a warning coloration. we explored the effect of egg perivitellin fluid (pvf) ingestion on the rat small intestine morphology and physiology.201424945629
diverse gastropod hosts of angiostrongylus cantonensis, the rat lungworm, globally and with a focus on the hawaiian islands.eosinophilic meningitis caused by the parasitic nematode angiostrongylus cantonensis is an emerging infectious disease with recent outbreaks primarily in tropical and subtropical locations around the world, including hawaii. humans contract the disease primarily through ingestion of infected gastropods, the intermediate hosts of angiostrongylus cantonensis. effective prevention of the disease and control of the spread of the parasite require a thorough understanding of the parasite's hosts, incl ...201424788772
immunolocalization and developmental expression patterns of two cathepsin b proteases (ac-cathb-1, -2) of angiostrongylus cantonensis.in this study we have investigated the anatomic sites of expression and developmental expression patterns of two cathepsin b-like cysteine proteases (ac-cathb-1, -2) of angiostrongylus cantonensis. the immunolocalization results revealed that native ac-cathbs were found present in the l1 and l3 larvae, female and male adults, and the ac-cathbs were localized mainly on the digestive tract of a. cantonensis and expressed at varied levels and in different patterns in the internal tissues according ...201424929149
brazilian angiostrongylus cantonensis haplotypes, ac8 and ac9, have two different biological and morphological profiles.angiostrongylus cantonensis is the etiologic agent of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in humans. cases have been recorded in many parts of the world, including brazil. the aim of this study was to compare the differences in the biology and morphology of two different brazilian haplotypes of a. cantonensis: ac8 and ac9. a significantly larger number of l1 larvae eliminated in the faeces of rodents at the beginning of the patent period was observed for ac9 haplotype and compared to the total of l ...201425591110
the potential danger of eating wild lettuce: a brief review of human rat lungworm infection.angiostrongylus cantonensis, the causative agent of human rat lungworm disease, is the most common cause of eosinophilic meningitis worldwide and is endemic throughout asia pacific. it is acquired through the consumption of infected freshwater mollusks or contaminated produce. human angiostrongyliasis is usually a self-limited disease presenting with headache and various neurologic sequelae varying from cranial nerve palsies to radiculitis and/or paresthesias. fatal cases are rare, and manifest ...201425478300
biochemical and histopathological alterations in biomphalaria glabrata due to co-infection by angiostrongylus cantonensis and echinostoma paraensei.the effect of concurrent infection by echinostoma paraensei and angiostrongylus cantonensis on the activity of the enzymes alanine aminotransferase (alt) and aspartate aminotransferase (ast) and the concentration of total proteins, uric acid and urea in the hemolymph of biomphalaria glabrata were investigated. additionally, histopathological studies were conducted to better understand the dynamics of ontogenic development of both helminths in the host and the possible biochemical effects. co-inf ...201424513030
sequence analysis in partial genes of five isolates of angiostrongylus cantonensis from taiwan and biological comparison in infectivity and pathogenicity between two strains.angiostrongylus cantonensis is the most common infectious agent causing eosinophilic meningitis and is present in taiwan, thailand and the pacific islands. clinical symptoms vary within different endemic regions, and their severity is probably dependent on the number of ingested parasites and the diversity among strains. the experimentally definitive host is the rat, and non-permissive hosts are certain mammals such as humans and mice. in this study, the partial gene sequences of two a. cantonen ...201424503290
angiostrongylus cantonensis (nematoda: metastrongylidae) in the ryukyu islands tree rat (diplothrix legata).angiostrongylus cantonensis is a zoonotic nematode with rodents serving as natural definitive hosts. we report a. cantonensis in the ryukyu islands tree rat (diplothrix legata, thomas, 1906), a native endangered species in japan. adult and larvae of a. cantonensis were macroscopically, histologically, and genetically detected in three tree rats collected between august 2011 and january 2012 in the yambaru area of okinawa prefecture, japan. pathologic observations of the lungs of rats showed that ...201424499332
unusual larva in the csf and unique mri findings in a case of eosinophilic meningitis.eosinophilic meningitis may be caused by non-infectious and infectious agents. angiostrongylus cantonensis is the commonest causative agent of eosinophilic meningitis. rats are the primary hosts of this parasite. humans get infected by ingestion of raw or inadequately cooked hosts (snails or monitor lizard) or food contaminated with the infective third-stage larvae. a 16-year-old boy was admitted to our hospital with history of fever, headache, and altered sensorium. magnetic resonance imaging o ...201425806134
dexamethasone downregulated the expression of csf 14-3-3β protein in mice with eosinophilic meningitis caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis infection.angiostrongylus cantonensis is the main causative agent of human eosinophilic meningitis in southeast asia and the pacific islands. a previous study demonstrated that the 14-3-3β protein is a neuropathological marker in monitoring neuronal damage in meningitis. steroids are commonly used in patients with eosinophilic meningitis caused by a. cantonensis infection. however, the mechanism by which steroids act in eosinophilic meningitis is unknown. we hypothesized that the beneficial effect of ster ...201424361722
metabolic and histopathological profile of rattus norvegicus (wistar) experimentally infected by angiostrongylus cantonensis (chen, 1935).eosinophilic meningitis is a disease characterized by increased eosinophils in the cerebrospinal fluid (csf), which is the most commonly caused by invasion of the central nervous system by helminths, as occurs in angiostrongylus cantonensis infections. the rodent rattus norvegicus is the definitive natural host and humans act as accidental hosts and can become infected by eating raw or undercooked snails or food contaminated with infective l3 larvae. recently in brazil there have been four cases ...201424333291
severe eosinophilic meningitis owing to angiostrongylus cantonensis in young jamaican children: case report and literature review.eosinophilic meningitis caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis is an endemic and emerging disease that affects adults and children in jamaica. most cases resolve without sequelae, but young children are at high risk of neurological damage and death. treatment with corticosteroids and albendazole is considered safe for adults and children, but protocols for its use in children have not been established. a 19-month-old infant with permanent neurological sequlae caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis ...201424199629
permissibility of mongolian gerbil for angiostrongylus cantonensis infection and utility of this animal model for anthelmintic studies.the mongolian gerbil (meriones unguiculatus) has been indicated to be a useful experimental model host for studying nematode. to understand the possibility of the mongolian gerbil as an animal model of angiostrongylus cantonensis infection, we investigated the development, migration, and tissue distribution of a. cantonensis and pathological changes in the brain and lungs of the infected mongolian gerbils. the first stage larvae of a. cantonensis in the stool of the infected gerbils were examine ...201424556845
dynamic expression of mir-132, mir-212, and mir-146 in the brain of different hosts infected with angiostrongylus cantonensis.increasing evidence shows that micrornas (mirnas) are a family of regulatory molecules involved in many physiological processes, including the inflammation in central nervous system (cns) and neurological disorders. angiostrongylus cantonensis (a. cantonensis) is the major cause of human infectious eosinophilic meningitis and can induce cns injury. in the present study, we investigated the expression of mirnas involved in neuronal functions such as mir-132-3p/212-3p, and mir-146a-5p, inflammatio ...201424142285
hematological and histopathological changes in rattus norvegicus (wistar) experimentally infected by angiostrongylus cantonensis (chen, 1935).eosinophilic meningitis caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis is a zoonosis endemic to southeast asia and the pacific islands. it is considered an emerging disease because it has been expanding both geographically and in terms of the range of hosts. in south america, the first cases were reported in brazil and were attributed to eating infected snails. in this study, 70 adult females of rattus norvegicus (wistar) were used to evaluate hematology, blood gases, cardiac markers and lung histopathol ...201424786730
identification and characterization of an asparaginyl endopeptidase from angiostrongylus cantonensis.asparaginyl endopeptidase, also known as legumain, is a family of cysteine proteases in many organisms. in this study, an asparaginyl endopeptidase (ac-aep) was identified from the cdna library of angiostrongylus cantonensis. the full-length of ac-aep was determined to be 1,472 bp with an open reading frame of 1,341 bp encoding a putative protein with 446 amino acids. this putative protein was determined to have 37-65% identity in the amino acid sequences of the asparaginyl endopeptidases of oth ...201424696276
eosinophil chemotactic chemokine profilings of the brain from permissive and non-permissive hosts infected with angiostrongylus cantonenis.angiostrongylus cantonensis invasion primarily cause heavy or negligible eosinophic meningitis and meningoencephalitis in the brain of non-permissive and permissive hosts, respectively. chemokines are effective leukocyte chemoattractants and may play an essential role in mediating eosinophil recruitment in angiostrongyliasis. in the present study, we comparatively analyzed changes in peripheral and csf eosinophil counts, and expression profilings of eosinophil chemotactic chemokines in a. canton ...201424233410
an 8-week brain mri follow-up analysis of rat eosinophilic meningitis caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis infection.early differential diagnosis and timely follow-up are advantageous in the management of angiostrongylus cantonensis infection. this study aimed to characterize angiostrongyliasis in the rat brain for an 8-week period using magnetic resonance imaging (mri) with contrast-enhanced t1-weighted images (t1wi), t2-weighted imaging (t2wi), fluid attenuation inversion recovery (flair) and r2 mapping sequences. the data were analysed with mathematica and matlab software programs for weekly changes in each ...201424207053
microrna expression profile in the third- and fourth-stage larvae of angiostrongylus cantonensis.the pathogenesis of angiostrongyliasis, resulting from the third-stage and the fourth-stage angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae invasion of the human central nervous system, remains elusive. micrornas are important regulators of gene expression and involved in many biological processes. the aim of this study was to determine and characterize mirnas of third (l3) and fourth (l4) larvae of a. cantonensis by solex deep sequencing. a total of 629 conserved mirnas (526 and 376 mirnas in l3 and l4 larv ...201424696273
microrna expressions associated with eosinophilic meningitis caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in a mouse model.angiostrongylus cantonensis (a. cantonensis) infection is the major cause of eosinophilic meningitis (em). severe cases or infant and child cases have poor prognosis. micrornas (mirnas) play important roles in inflammation; however, little is known about the roles in brain inflammation caused by a. cantonensis. in this study, illumina deep sequencing and bioinformatics were used to determine the abundance and differential expression of mirnas in the brain tissues of a mouse model. a total of 648 ...201424682888
eosinophilic meningitis due to angiostrongylus cantonensis with confirmed finding of intrathecal parasite. 201424676451
the quantitative and functional changes of nk cells in mice infected with angiostrongylus cantonensis.angiostrongylus cantonensis is a neurotropic parasite which can cause injury to central nervous system and eosinophilic meningitis to human. natural killer (nk) cells are specialized innate lymphocytes important in early defense against pathogens as in a variety of intracellular bacterial, viral, and protozoan infections. however, the number and function of nk cells in extracellular parasitic infection of a. cantonensis are unclear. in this study, on a. cantonensis infected mice which may mimic ...201424667973
a longitudinal study of angiostrongylus cantonensis in an urban population of rattus norvegicus in brazil: the influences of seasonality and host features on the pattern of infection.the nematode angiostrongylus cantonensis is a zoonotic parasite and the most important cause of eosinophilic meningitis worldwide in humans. in brazil, this disease has been reported in the states of espírito santo and pernambuco. the parasite has been detected in the naturally infected intermediate host, in the states of rio de janeiro, pernambuco and santa catarina. the murid rattus norvegicus r. rattus were recently reported to be naturally infected in brazil. in this study, we conducted a tw ...201424612453
angiostrongylus cantonensis eosinophilic meningitis: a clinical study of 42 consecutive cases in french polynesia.in endemic areas, eosinophilic meningitis is mainly caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis. we describe a series of this poorly-known condition.201424583335
14-3-3β protein expression in eosinophilic meningitis caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis infection.angiostrongylus cantonensis is a parasite endemic in the southeast asian and pacific regions. humans are incidentally infected either by eating uncooked intermediate hosts or by consuming vegetables containing the living third-stage larvae. the 14-3-3β protein is a cerebrospinal fluid (csf) marker of neuronal damage during the development of creutzfeldt-jakob disease. in addition, increased 14-3-3β protein is also found in csf from patients with a variety of neurological disorders. the goal of t ...201424555778
changes in the calcium metabolism of biomphalaria glabrata experimentally infected with angiostrongylus cantonensis.levels of calcium in the haemolymph and reserves in the shell of biomphalaria glabrata experimentally infected by angiostrongylus cantonensis were determined for the first time. at the same time, histochemical analyses of the digestive gland of infected and uninfected snails were performed to better understand the possible changes in metabolism of calcium in these organisms. after 1, 2 and 3 weeks of infection, the snails were dissected for collection of haemolymph and separation of tissues. the ...201423290340
the first case of angiostrongylus cantonensis eosinophilic meningitis diagnosed in the city of são paulo, brazil.angiostrongylus cantonensis is a natural parasite found in lung arteries of rats, which in humans may cause eosinophilic meningitis.201423563769
eosinophilic meningitis: what's the "diff"?we report a case of a 22-year-old man who presented to the emergency department (ed) with altered mental status and was diagnosed with eosinophilic meningitis due to angiostrongylus cantonensis (ac) acquired in the united states after exposure to snails.201424060328
activation of anaerobic metabolism in biomphalaria glabrata (mollusca: gastropoda) experimentally infected by angiostrongylus cantonensis (nematoda, metastrongylidae) by high-performance liquid chromatography.the activity of lactate dehydrogenase and the concentrations of glucose in the hemolymph and of glycogen in the digestive gland and cephalopedal mass of biomphalaria glabrata experimentally infected with angiostrongylus cantonensis were evaluated. additionally, high performance liquid chromatography (hplc) was used to determine the hemolymph concentrations of some carboxylic acids (oxalic, piruvic, lactic and succinic). after one, two and three weeks of infection, the snails were dissected to co ...201424042059
a transcriptomic analysis on gene expressions in the infective third and pathogenic fifth larval stages of angiostrongylus cantonensis.although angiostrongylus cantonensis is a parasite of rats, it is an important etiologic agent of eosinophilic meningitis and eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in humans. this study was designed to compare the gene expression in the third- and fifth-stage (l3 and l5) by analysis of expressed sequence tags (ests). after removing low quality sequences, vector trimming, clustering and contig assembly, there remained 1437 clusters (285 contigs and 1152 singletons). among these clusters, 779 (54.2%) s ...201424013007
dot immunogold filtration assay (digfa) for the rapid detection of specific antibodies against the rat lungworm angiostrongylus cantonensis (nematoda: metastrongyloidea) using purified 31-kda antigen.a rapid dot immunogold filtration assay (digfa) was adopted for specific immunodiagnosis of human cerebral angiostrongyliasis, using purified 31-kda glycoprotein specific to angiostrongylus cantonensis as diagnostic antigen and protein a colloidal gold conjugate as antigen-antibody detector. a total of 59 serum samples were assayed - 11 samples from clinically diagnosed patients with detectable a. cantonensis-specific antibody in immunoblotting; 23 samples from patients with other related parasi ...201423710755
[detection of angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae with a high resolution melt pcr assay].to develop a detection method of the third-stage larvae of angiostrongylus cantonensis by real-time pcr and high-resolution melt curve analysis.201425902677
[investigation on the species distribution and infection status of host snails of angiostrongylus cantonensis in shanghai].to investigate the species distribution and infection status of host snails of angiostongylus cantonensis in shanghai.201425902678
identification of angiostrongylus cantonensis and other nematodes using the ssu rdna in achatina fulica populations of metro manila.angiostrongylus cantonensis is a parasitic nematode that causes eosinophilic meningitis in humans. accidental infection occurs by consumption of contaminated intermediates, such as the giant african land snail, achatina fulica. this study surveyed the presence of a. cantonensis juveniles in a. fulica populations from 12 sites in metropolitan manila, philippines using the ssu rdna. fourteen distinct sequences from 226 nematodes were obtained; of these, two matched a. cantonensis and ancylostoma c ...201425134902
the mitochondrial genome of protostrongylus rufescens - implications for population and systematic studies.protostrongylus rufescens is a metastrongyloid nematode of small ruminants, such as sheep and goats, causing protostrongylosis. in spite of its importance, the ecology and epidemiology of this parasite are not entirely understood. in addition, genetic data are scant for p. rufescens and related metastrongyloids.201324025317
an interesting case of eosinophilic meningitis.angiostrongylus cantonensis is one of the causative agents of eosinophilic meningitis. humans get infected when they ingest raw or partially cooked snails or monitor lizards (varanus bengalensis). there is a popular belief that the tongue and the liver of the monitor lizard has aphrodisiac properties. a 20-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a history of fever, headache and vomiting. his cerebrospinal fluid revealed eosinophilia. he gave a history of the ingestion of a monitor lizard, ...201323730662
transcriptome profiling of the fifth-stage larvae of angiostrongylus cantonensis by next-generation sequencing.angiostrongylus cantonensis is an important zoonotic nematode. it is the causative agent of eosinophilic meningitis and eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in humans. however, information of this parasite at the genomic level is very limited. in the present study, the transcriptomic profiles of the fifth-stage larvae (l5) of a. cantonensis were investigated by next-generation sequencing (ngs). in the ngs database established from the larvae isolated from the brain of sprague-dawley rats, 31,487 uni ...201323828188
subretinal angiostrongyliasis-induced optic neuritis.a 27-year-old thai male presented with progressive visual loss and a membrane-like floater in the right eye that had persisted for 1 month. he had a history of eating raw foods, including snails. his initial visual acuity was counting fingers at 1 ft and he had a relative afferent pupillary defect. a movable larva with subretinal tracks was found in the subretinal space near a normal optic disc. visually evoked potentials showed delayed latency, which indicated secondary retrobulbar optic neurit ...201323818750
first report of the activity of predatory fungi on angiostrongylus cantonensis (nematoda: angiostrongylidae) first-stage larvae.the nematode angiostrongylus cantonensis causes eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in humans and thus alternative methods of control should be studied. the objective of this work was to evaluate the predatory capacity of eight fungal isolates of the species duddingtonia flagrans (ac001, cg768 and cg722), monacrosporium thaumasium (nf34), m. sinense (sf53) and arthrobotrys robusta (i31), a. cladodes (cg719) and a. conoides (i40) on first-stage larvae (l₁) of a. cantonensis under laboratory conditio ...201323664843
rats, cities, people, and pathogens: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of literature regarding the ecology of rat-associated zoonoses in urban centers.urban norway and black rats (rattus norvegicus and rattus rattus) are the source of a number of pathogens responsible for significant human morbidity and mortality in cities around the world. these pathogens include zoonotic bacteria (leptospira interrogans, yersina pestis, rickettsia typhi, bartonella spp., streptobacillus moniliformis), viruses (seoul hantavirus), and parasites (angiostrongylus cantonensis). a more complete understanding of the ecology of these pathogens in people and rats is ...201323590323
the mrna level of the galectin-10 of angiostrongylus cantonensis induced by reactive oxygen stress.galectin plays an important role in host-parasite interactions. in this study, we identified a novel gene encoding galectin-10 (acgal-10) from the cdna library of angiostrongylus cantonensis and characterized its biological role in the parasite. sequence and phylogeny analysis showed that acgal-10 is related to other galectin family members with the conserved loci (h(84)-d(86)-r(88)-v(96)-n(98)-w(105)-e(108)-r(110)). the mrna level of acgal-10 was expressed in reactive oxygen stress radicals. we ...201323224730
tawny frogmouths and brushtail possums as sentinels for angiostrongylus cantonensis, the rat lungworm.the objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of angiostrongylosis in tawny frogmouths (podargus strigoides) and brushtail possums (trichosurus vulpecula) with signs of neurological disease, and to describe the clinicopathological features of angiostrongylosis in both species. tawny frogmouths and brushtail possums with signs of neurological disease were sampled from the sydney metropolitan area between october 1998 and june 2010. samples from 100 tawny frogmouths and 31 brushtail ...201323218219
angiostrongyliasis in thailand: epidemiology and laboratory investigations.cerebral angiostrongyliasis due to angiostrongylus cantonensis continues to affect human health and productivity in thailand. the dietary habits of the populace have been an important contributing factor, particularly in the northeast of the country where the disease is endemic and the indigenous people enjoy a local undercooked snail dish called "koi-hoi". hundreds of cases of disease continue to be reported annually. because of the difficulty in obtaining a definitive diagnosis, immunological ...201323901379
human parasitic meningitis caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in taiwan.the major cause of eosinophilic meningitis in taiwan is angiostrongylus cantonensis. humans are infected by ingesting terrestrial and freshwater snails and slugs. in 1998 and 1999, two outbreaks of eosinophilic meningitis caused by a. cantonensis infection were reported among 17 adult male immigrant thai laborers who had eaten raw golden apple snails (pomacea canaliculata). another outbreak associated with consuming a health drink consisting of raw vegetable juice was reported in 2001. these adu ...201323901378
the apple snail pomacea canaliculata, a novel vector of the rat lungworm, angiostrongylus cantonensis: its introduction, spread, and control in china.the freshwater apple snail pomacea canaliculata was introduced to taiwan then to mainland china in the early 1980s from argentina, its native region, for the purpose of aquaculture. because of the lack of natural enemies and its tolerance of a wide range of environmental conditions, both its abundance and distribution have dramatically increased and it has become a harmful species to local agriculture and other native species in many areas of china. unfortunately, the snail also acts as an inter ...201323901377
expression of recombinant antigenic proteins from angiostrongylus cantonensis: a brief report.cerebral angiostrongyliasis is an acute inflammation caused by the infection of the nematode angiostrongylus cantonensis that results in eosinophilic meningitis. the current immunological assay of choice is an immunoblot that detects antibodies to a 31 kda protein present in crude extracts of the female worm. recently we have identified diagnostic targets from excretion and secretion products and determined the composition of the 31 kda antigen after 2-d gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry ...201323900614
high throughput sequencing of the angiostrongylus cantonensis genome: a parasite spreading worldwide.angiostrongylus cantonensis is a parasitic nematode of rodents and a leading aetiological agent of eosinophilic meningitis in humans. definitive diagnosis is difficult, often relying on immunodiagnostic methods which utilize crude antigens. new immunodiagnostic methods based on recombinant proteins are being developed, and ideally these methods would be made available worldwide. identification of diagnostic targets, as well as studies on the biology of the parasite, are limited by a lack of mole ...201323863082
severe hemorrhagic meningoencephalitis due to angiostrongylus cantonensis among young children in sydney, australia.angiostrongylus cantonensis is the most common cause of eosinophilic meningitis worldwide. we describe 2 cases among young children from sydney, australia, where locally acquired infection of children has not been reported previously. both cases manifested as severe hemorrhagic meningoencephalitis, one resulting in death. angiostrongyliasis must be considered in acute neurological presentations occurring among individuals who live in endemic areas.201323843445
eosinophilic meningitis.eosinophilic meningitis is defined by the presence of at least 10% eosinophils in the total cerebrospinal fluid (csf) leukocyte count. although there are several possible causes of eosinophils in the csf, parasitic infection is the main cause. the three common parasites causing eosinophilic meningitis include angiostrongylus cantonensis, gnathostoma spinigerum, and taenia solium. even though these parasites are endemic in tropical countries, they are now spreading globally due to extensive trave ...201323829911
severe form of radiculo - myelo - neuropathy with meningo - encephalitis secondary to angiostrongylus cantonensis infection: unusual corpus callosal lesions and serial magnetic resonance imaging findings.a 43-year-old man presented with the symptoms of recurrent lower abdominal pain, malaise and loss of appetite of 3-week duration, followed by acute onset of generalized paresthesias, fever and headache which progressed over few days to quadriparesis, altered sensorium, urinary and fecal incontinence. he had consumed raw tongue, liver, gall bladder and testicles of monitor lizard (varanus bengalensis). blood picture showed eosinophilia and cerebrospinal fluid (csf) analysis revealed elevated prot ...201324005735
patent angiostrongylus mackerrasae infection in a black flying fox (pteropus alecto).a wild adult male black flying fox (pteropus alecto) was presented unable to fly or hang strongly.201323980828
angiostrongylus cantonensis (nematode: metastrongiloidea): in vitro cultivation of infective third-stage larvae to fourth-stage larvae.the present study to attempt to cultivate angiostrongylus cantonensis from third-stage larvae (acl3) to fourth-stage larvae (acl4) in vitro in defined complete culture medium that contained with minimum essential medium eagle (mem), supplemented amino acid (aa), amine (am), fatty acid (fa), carbohydrate (ca) and 20% fetal calf serum (fcs) was successful. when acl3 were cultured in the defined complete culture medium at 37°c in a 5% co2 atmosphere, the larvae began to develop to acl4 after 30 day ...201323977214
first report of angiostrongylus cantonensis (nematoda: angiostrongylidae) infections in invasive rodents from five islands of the ogasawara archipelago, japan.angiostrongylus cantonensis (chen, 1935) is a parasite of murid rodents and causative agent of human neuro-angiostrongyliasis. in 2011, the ogasawara islands in the western north pacific were assigned a world natural heritage site status. the occurrence of a. cantonensis is well documented in the chichijima, hahajima, and anijima islands. however, the occurrence of a. cantonensis in the other islands of the ogasawara islands has not been reported.201323950989
angiostrongylus cantonensis and rat lungworm disease in brazil.the metastrongyloid nematode genus angiostrongylus includes 18 species, two of which are relevant from a medical standpoint, angiostrongylus costaricensis and angiostrongylus cantonensis. the first was described from costa rica in 1971 and causes abdominal angiostrongyliasis in the americas, including in brazil. angiostrongylus cantonensis, first described in 1935 from canton, china, is the causative agent of eosinophilic meningitis. the natural definitive hosts are rodents, and molluscs are the ...201323901376
genetic diversity of the rat lungworm, angiostrongylus cantonensis, the major cause of eosinophilic meningitis.various aspects of the genetics of the rat lungworm, angiostrongylus cantonensis, are reviewed. this nematode has an xx/xo sex-determination mechanism, with the female having a 2n = 12 (xx) and the male 2n = 11 (xo) chromosome constitution. allozymes (12 loci) exhibit a low proportion of polymorphic loci (p = .08) and low mean heterozygosity (h = 0.43) in specimens from hawa'i, and no polymorphism or heterozygosity in specimens from thailand. the phosphoglucomutase-2 (pgm-2) locus exhibits sex-l ...201323901375
effects of washing produce contaminated with the snail and slug hosts of angiostrongylus cantonensis with three common household solutions.the emerging infectious disease angiostrongyliasis (rat lungworm disease) is caused by ingesting snails and slugs infected by the nematode angiostrongylus cantonensis. the definitive hosts of a. cantonensis are rats and the obligatory intermediate hosts are slugs and snails. many cases result from accidentally ingesting infected snails or slugs on produce (eg, lettuce). this study assessed three readily available household products as washing solutions for removing snails and slugs from produce ...201323901391
control measures for slug and snail hosts of angiostrongylus cantonensis, with special reference to the semi-slug parmarion martensi.slugs and snails (class gastropoda) are the obligate intermediate hosts of the rat lungworm, angiostrongylus cantonensis. this nematode is the causative agent of human angiostrongyliasis and the most common cause of human eosinophilic meningoencephalitis. humans can become infected by accidental consumption of slugs or snails and possibly flatworms (or a portion of one of these animals) in fresh produce, but the slime from these animals can contain nematodes and may also constitute a disease ris ...201323901389
pathways for transmission of angiostrongyliasis and the risk of disease associated with them.angiostrongylus cantonensis, the rat lungworm, is a major cause of eosinophilic meningitis in humans. this short paper reviews what is known about the pathways of infection and assesses the probable importance of each in causing disease. rats are the definitive hosts. people can become infected by eating, both deliberately and inadvertently, raw or under-cooked intermediate hosts (snails or slugs) or paratenic hosts such as freshwater shrimp, crabs and frogs. food preparation prior to cooking ca ...201323901388
detection of rat lungworm in intermediate, definitive, and paratenic hosts obtained from environmental sources.angiostrongylus cantonensis is the most common parasite causing human eosinophilic meningitis worldwide. the geographical distribution of this disease has changed dramatically in the last few decades. various methods have been used to detect a. cantonensis in host animals around the world. a survey of mollusks collected on the island of hawa'i in 2005 using pcr showed an infection rate of 24-78% depending on the mollusk species. in this study, samples from intermediate, definitive, and paratenic ...201323901387
the current status of laboratory diagnosis of angiostrongylus cantonensis infections in humans using serologic and molecular methods.laboratory diagnosis of angiostrongyliasis relies on serological techniques, since definitive diagnosis is insensitive. modern antibody detection methods focus on antibodies to the 29 and 31 kda proteins of the parasite. antigen detection may ultimately prove to be more reliable than antibody detection but no method has been adopted for clinical diagnostic use. diagnosis using pcr amplification of dna sequences specific to angiostrongylus cantonensis have been developed but have not yet been val ...201323901386
differential diagnosis of cns angiostrongyliasis: a short review.the diagnostic criterion for eosinophilic meningitis (eom) is the identification of an absolute count of 10 eosinophils per ml or more than 10% of the total white blood cells in the cerebrospinal fluid (csf) in the proper clinical context. the most common cause of eom is angiostrongylus cantonensis infection, termed meningitic angiostrongyliasis (ma). neurognathostomiasis (ng) is the main parasitic disease in the differential diagnosis of meningitic angiostrongyliasis. this short review is based ...201323901385
the role of eosinophils in angiostrongyliasis: multiple roles for a versatile cell?human infection with the rat lungworm, angiostrongylus cantonensis, is characterized by a vigorous eosinophil response that gives the disease its name, eosinophilic meningitis. the actual role eosinophils play, both protective and destructive, in this infectious process is still largely a mystery. research since 2002 has indicated that eosinophils are a multifaceted granulocyte that contributes to a wide range of physiological and pathological processes depending on their location and activation ...201323901384
a severe case of angiostrongylus eosinophilic meningitis with encephalitis and neurologic sequelae in hawa'i.angiostrongylus eosinophilic meningitis is caused by infection with larvae of the rat lungworm, angiostrongylus cantonensis. we report the case of an adult who ingested a raw, giant african snail (achatina fulica) on the island of o'ahu in hawa'i and developed an eosinophilic meningoencephalitis with severe headache, confusion, sixth cranial nerve palsy, ataxia, limb weakness, and paresthesia. he was treated with lumbar punctures to relieve pressure, high dose corticosteroids, and 14 days of alb ...201323901383
clinical aspects of eosinophilic meningitis and meningoencephalitis caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis, the rat lungworm.angiostrongylus eosinophilic meningitis is caused by human infection with larvae of the rat lungworm, angiostrongylus cantonensis. the clinical presentation includes a spectrum of disease, from meningitis through radiculitis, cranial nerve abnormalities, ataxia, encephalitis, coma, and rarely death. the condition is diagnosed by recognizing the triad of: the clinical syndrome, eosinophils in the cerebrospinal fluid or blood, and exposure history. a history of eating raw or poorly cooked snails i ...201323901382
alteration of t cell subtypes in spleen and antibodies of serum in mice infected with angiostrongylus cantonensis.the immune responses of angiostrongylus cantonensis infection are closely relevant to the host's self-protection and the nematode's pathogenesis. in the present study, balb/c mice were randomly divided into uninfected control group, infection group 1, and infection group 2. the infection group 1 and infection group 2 were infected with 20 and 40 third-stage larvae of a. cantonensis per mouse, respectively. the splenocytes from the mice were collected and cultured on the 19th and 25th days post-i ...201323322326
efficacy of tribendimidine against angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in the mice.angiostrongyliasis, also known as eosinophils meningitis, is caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis parasites in the human central nervous system. currently, the drug of choice for treatment of angiostrongyliasis is albendazole, but dead worm lysis causes severe inflammatory response, which leads to central nervous system damage. tribendimidine, a broad-spectrum anti-helmintic drug developed in china, is a derivative of amidantel. this study was designed to test the efficacy of tribendimidine aga ...201323377146
effects of infection by larvae of angiostrongylus cantonensis (nematoda, metastrongylidae) on the lipid metabolism of the experimental intermediate host biomphalaria glabrata (mollusca: gastropoda).experimental infection of biomphalaria glabrata by angiostrongylus cantonensis induces significant changes in the concentrations of triacylglycerol and cholesterol in the hemolymph and of neutral lipids in the digestive gonad-gland (dgg) complex of the host snail. in this study, snails were dissected after 1, 2, and 3 weeks of infection to collect the hemolymph and dgg and to measure the levels of cholesterol and triacylglycerol in the hemolymph and neutral lipid fractions in the tissues. the re ...201323377121
parasitoses of the human central nervous system.cerebral involvement in parasitoses is an important clinical manifestation of most of the human parasitoses. parasites that have been described to affect the central nervous system (cns), either as the dominant or as a collateral feature, include cestodes (taenia solium (neurocysticerciasis), echinococcus granulosus (cerebral cystic echinococcosis), e. multilocularis (cerebral alveolar echinococcosis), spirometra mansoni (neurosparganosis)), nematodes (toxocara canis and t. cati (neurotoxocarias ...201323046708
differences in microglia activation between rats-derived cell and mice-derived cell after stimulating by soluble antigen of iv larva from angiostrongylus cantonensis in vitro.angiostrongylus cantonensis is a rodent nematode. adult worms of a. cantonensis live in the pulmonary arteries of rats. humans and mice are accidental hosts or named nonpermissive hosts. the larva cannot develop into an adult worm and only causes serious eosinophilic meningitis or meningoencephalitis if humans or mice eat food containing larva of a. cantonensis in the third stage. the differing consequences largely depend on differing immune responses of the host to parasite during a. cantonensi ...201323073569
characterization and immunolocalization of mutated ornithine decarboxylase antizyme from angiostrongylus cantonensis.ornithine decarboxylase antizyme (oaz), a prominent regulator of cell proliferation, dna/rna transformation and tumorigenesis, can bind to ornithine decarboxylase (odc) and facilitate its degradation. expression of oaz requires a unique ribosomal frame shift that is regulated by levels of polyamine in the cell. in this study, we cloned an oaz gene with the +1 ribosomal frame-shift from a fourth-stage larvae cdna library of angiostrongylus cantonensis. we removed one nucleotide to express the gen ...201323816446
[eosinophilic meningitis].diagnosis of angiostrongylus cantonensis meningitis is not always obvious, even in endemic areas.201323764424
angiostrongylus cantonensis: tegumental and hypodermic alterations of the fourth-stage larvae following administration of tribendimidine in vivo and in vitro.angiostrongylus cantonensis is a parasitic pathogen whose forth-stage larvae (l4) parasitize in the central nervous system (cns) of the human cause severe eosinophilic encephalitis or meningoencephalitis. previous study indicated an impressive anthelmintic efficacy of tribendimidine (tbd) against cns parasitized l4 of a. cantonensis. tegument of the larvae is the first physical barrier to protect them from attack by the host immune system. in the present study, tegumental and hypodermic alterati ...201323728774
endemic angiostrongyliasis in the brazilian amazon: natural parasitism of angiostrongylus cantonensis in rattus rattus and r. norvegicus, and sympatric giant african land snails, achatina fulica.angiostrongylus cantonensis, the rat lungworm, is one etiological agent of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in humans. this zoonosis is frequently found in asia and, more recently, in north america, caribbean island and northeastern of south america. until now, research of a. cantonensis in southern, southeastern and northeastern regions of brazil has been found natural infections only terrestrial and freshwater intermediate snail hosts (achatina fulica, sarasinula marginata, subulina octona, br ...201323072946
ym1, an eosinophilic chemotactic factor, participates in the brain inflammation induced by angiostrongylus cantonensis in mice.angiostrongylus cantonensis is an emerging zoonotic pathogen that has caused hundreds of cases of human angiostrongyliasis worldwide. the larva in nonpermissive hosts cannot develop into an adult worm and can cause eosinophilic meningitis and ocular angiostrongyliasis. the mechanism of brain inflammation caused by the worm remains poorly defined. according to previous data of genechip, ym1 in the brain of mice 21 days after infection with a. cantonensis was highly upregulated to over 7,300 times ...201323703548
molecular cloning, expression, and characterization of a putative activation-associated secreted protein from angiostrongylus cantonensis.activation-associated secreted protein (asp) had been found in many helminthes, which was associated with pathogenesis and stage transition. a complementary dna (cdna) sequence encoding a putative two-domain asp was obtained from an angiostrongylus cantonensis fourth-stage larvae cdna library, which we designated as agasp. the cdna of agasp contains an open reading frame encoding 424 amino acids, the first 19 residues being a putative secretion signal. the expression pattern of this protein was ...201323192529
interleukin 33 mediates type 2 immunity and inflammation in the central nervous system of mice infected with angiostrongylus cantonensis.angiostrongylus cantonensis can induce central nervous system (cns) injury and cause human eosinophilic meningitis. the cns has been found to have high expression of interleukin 33 (il-33), which promotes the pathogenesis of t-helper 2 (th2)-related disease. given the predominantly type 2 response induced by a. cantonensis-infected mice and human, it is likely that il-33 may play a role in aiding this process. we report here that il-33 protein and st2l messenger rna (mrna) transcripts in the bra ...201323148283
molecular diagnosis of eosinophilic meningitis due to angiostrongylus cantonensis (nematoda: metastrongyloidea) by polymerase chain reaction-dna sequencing of cerebrospinal fluids of patients.cerebrospinal fluid (csf) samples from clinically diagnosed patients with detectable angiostrongylus cantonensis-specific antibodies (n = 10), patients with clinically suspected cases that tested negative for a. cantonensis-antibodies (n = 5) and patients with cerebral gnathostomiasis (n = 2) and neurocysticercosis (n = 2) were examined by a single-step polymerase chain reaction (pcr) method using the ac primers for the 66-kda native protein gene. the pcr method detected a. cantonensis dna in cs ...201323440126
intrathecal activation as a typical immune response within the central nervous system in angiostrongyliasis.angiostrongylus cantonensis is a zoonotic pathogen that occasionally causes human angiostrongyliasis; its main clinical manifestation is eosinophilic meningitis. this report defines the concept of intrathecal activation of complement as evidence of intrathecal synthesis of major immunoglobulins during this disease. details are presented of the activation of complement system components in cerebrospinal fluid, and their application to our understanding of this tropical disease, which is emerging ...201323390222
study of the endoparasitic fauna of commensal rats and shrews caught in traditional wet markets in taichung city, taiwan.rats live in close proximity to human populations. feral rodents are known to transmit diseases and act as reservoir hosts to many zoonotic parasites that pose health risks to humans. the aim of this study is to investigate endoparasitic infections in commensal rats and shrews caught in traditional wet markets in taichung city, taiwan.201322516746
clinical manifestations of eosinophilic meningitis due to infection with angiostrongylus cantonensis in children.eosinophilic meningitis, caused by the nematode angiostrongylus cantonensis, is prevalent in northeastern thailand, most commonly in adults. data regarding clinical manifestations of this condition in children is limited and may be different those in adults. a chart review was done on 19 eosinophilic meningitis patients aged less than 15 years in srinagarind hospital, faculty of medicine, khon kaen university, thailand. clinical manifestations and outcomes were reported using descriptive statist ...201324516281
angiostrongylus cantonensis: scanning electron microscopic observations on the cuticle of moulting larvae.angiostrongylus cantonensis is a parasitic nematode that needs to develop in different hosts in different larval stages. freshwater snails, such as pomacea canaliculata, are the intermediate host, and rats are the definitive host. periodic shedding of the cuticle (moulting) is an important biological process for the survival and development of the parasite in the intermediate and definitive hosts. however, there are few studies on the cuticle alterations between different stages of this parasite ...201324516266
comprehensive review of ocular angiostrongyliasis with special reference to optic neuritis.angiostrongyliasis, caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis infection, is a food-borne parasitic disease. its larvae evoke eosinophilic inflammation in the central nervous system, but can also cause pathological changes in the eyes. among ocular angiostrongyliasis cases, the incidence of optic neuritis is low and only few sporadic reports exist. some patients with optic neuritis developed obvious hypopsia or even vision loss, which would seriously influence the quality of life of patients. prompt ...201324516263
first report of angiostrongylus cantonensis in porto alegre, state of rio grande do sul, southern brazil. 201324270262
australia's gardens, slugs and snails: the risks of pica and rat-lungworm infection. 201324235163
il-33 mediates the expressions of il-5 and il-13 in angiostrongylus cantonensis-infected mice.angiostrongylus cantonensis is the major cause of human eosinophilic meningoencephalitis. c57bl/6 mice were experimentally infected with 35 infectious larvae. two groups of infected mice received intraperitoneal injections of mouse il-33 (1μg) or anti-il-33 monoclonal antibody (mab) (10μg) 3days post infection (dpi) and subsequent booster shots of the same dose at 5day intervals. blood samples from each group were collected weekly for assays. ige levels were significantly increased in all infect ...201324076431
development-specific differences in the proteomics of angiostrongylus cantonensis.angiostrongyliasis is an emerging communicable disease. several different hosts are required to complete the life cycle of angiostrongylus cantonensis. however, we lack a complete understanding of variability of proteins across different developmental stages and their contribution to parasite survival and progression. in this study, we extracted soluble proteins from various stages of the a. cantonensis life cycle [female adults, male adults, the fifth-stage female larvae (fl5), the fifth-stage ...201324204717
the occurrence of the rat lungworm, angiostrongylus cantonensis, in nonindigenous snails in the gulf of mexico region of the united states.nonindigenous apple snails, pomacea maculata (formerly pomacea insularum), are currently spreading rapidly through the southeastern united states. this mollusk serves as an intermediate host of the rat lungworm parasite (angiostrongylus cantonensis), which can cause eosinophilic meningitis in humans who consume infected mollusks. a pcr-based detection assay was used to test nonindigenous apple snails for the rat lungworm parasite in louisiana, texas, mississippi, and florida. only apple snails o ...201323901374
guest editor's message: eosinophilic meningitis caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis, the rat lungworm: biology, distribution, epidemiology, detection, diagnosis, treatment, and management. 201323901370
a severe case of rat lungworm disease in hawa'i.a 23-year-old man living on the island of hawa'i developed a life threatening case of eosinophilic meningitis caused by infection with angiostrongylus cantonensis (rat lungworm disease: rlwd). he was comatose for 3 months, incurring brain and nerve damage sufficiently extensive that he was not expected to recover. the case was complicated by secondary infections of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, clostridium difficile, and pneumonia, which resulted in an empyema requiring a thoracos ...201323900708
biology, systematics, life cycle, and distribution of angiostrongylus cantonensis, the cause of rat lungworm disease.angiostrongylus cantonensis is a metastrongyloid nematode in the family angiostrongylidae. it is the cause of angiostrongyliasis (rat lungworm disease), which manifests as eosinophilic meningitis. first described in 1935 from rats in china, a. cantonensis was placed in the genus parastrongylus in 1986, but most workers have not adopted this treatment. the taxonomy of a. cantonensis and related worms is largely based on adult morphology, notably of the male bursa. however, identification of infec ...201323901372
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