ABSTRACT
Angiostrongylus costaricensis may cause intestinal lesions of varied severity when it accidentally infects man in Central and South America. First-stage larvae have never been detected in stools. Therefore, a parasite-specific IgG ELISA was evaluated for the determination of the acute phase of infection. The specificity and the sensitivity of the immunoassay was shown to be 76.2% and 91.1%, respectively. Eight serum samples taken from patients with histopathological diagnosis, at different time points (3 to 15 months) after surgical treatment, showed a sharp and early decline in antibody reactivity. The titration of anti-A. costaricensis antibodies has proved to be a useful method for the diagnosis of acute abdominal angiostrongyliasis.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Helminth/analysis , Immunoglobulin G/analysis , Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/diagnosis , Strongylida Infections/diagnosis , Acute Disease , Animals , Antibodies, Helminth/blood , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Humans , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/immunology , Sensitivity and Specificity , Strongylida Infections/immunologyABSTRACT
Veronicellid slugs are the main intermediate hosts for Angiostrongylus costaricencis. In a rural locality in Nova Itaberaba (SC, southern Brazil) Sarasinula linguaeformis was identified as a crop pest. The parasitological examination revealed A. costaricencis infection in 43 out ot 50 slugs. The prevalence of 86% and the individual parasitic burdens are the highest sofar reported in Brazil and S. linguaeformis is the first species from the genus Sarasinula to be identified as intermediate host for A. costaricencis in southern Brazil.
Subject(s)
Angiostrongylus/isolation & purification , Snails/parasitology , Animals , Brazil , Rural HealthABSTRACT
Veronicellid slugs are the main intermediate hosts for Angiostrongylus costaricencis. In a rural locality in Nova Itaberaba (SC, southern Brazil) Sarasinula linguaeformis was identified as a crop pest. The parasitological examination revealed A. costaricencis infection in 43 out ot 50 slugs. The prevalence of 86% and the individual parasitic burdens are the highest sofar reported in Brazil and S. linguaeformis is the first species from the genus Sarasinula to be identified as intermediate host for A. costaricencis in southern Brazil.
Lesmas veronicelídeas são os principais hospedeiros intermediários de Angiostrongylus costaricencis. Em uma localidade rural de Nova Itaberaba (SC, no sul do Brasil) Sarasinula linguaeformis apresenta-se como peste agrícola. O exame parasitológico das lesmas demonstrou infecção pelo A. costaricencis em 43 de 50 animais. A prevalência de 86% e as cargas parasitárias são as mais altas registradas até o momento no Brasil e S. linguaeformis é a primeira espécie do gênero Sarasinula a ser identificado como hospedeiro intermediário do A. costaricencis no sul do país.
