J 2023

An Overview of Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Nematoda: Angiostrongylidae), an Emerging Cause of Human Angiostrongylosis on the Indian Subcontinent

PANDIAN, Divakaran, Tomas NAJER and David MODRÝ

Basic information

Original name

An Overview of Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Nematoda: Angiostrongylidae), an Emerging Cause of Human Angiostrongylosis on the Indian Subcontinent

Authors

PANDIAN, Divakaran, Tomas NAJER and David MODRÝ (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution)

Edition

Pathogens, MDPI, 2023, 2076-0817

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10606 Microbiology

Country of publisher

Switzerland

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

Impact factor

Impact factor: 3.700 in 2022

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/23:00134271

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

UT WoS

001017135500001

Keywords in English

Angiostrongylus cantonensis; human angiostrongyliasis; Indian subcontinent; eosinophilic meningitis

Tags

Tags

International impact, Reviewed
Změněno: 6/12/2023 11:23, Mgr. Marie Šípková, DiS.

Abstract

V originále

Human angiostrongylosis is an emerging zoonosis caused by the larvae of three species of metastrongyloid nematodes of the genus Angiostrongylus, with Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Chen, 1935) being dominant across the world. Its obligatory heteroxenous life cycle includes rats as definitive hosts, mollusks as intermediate hosts, and amphibians and reptiles as paratenic hosts. In humans, the infection manifests as Angiostrongylus eosinophilic meningitis (AEM) or ocular form. Since there is no comprehensive study on the disease in the Indian subcontinent, our study aims at the growing incidence of angiostrongylosis in humans, alongside its clinical course and possible causes. A systematic literature search revealed 28 reports of 45 human cases from 1966 to 2022; eosinophilic meningitis accounted for 33 cases (75.5%), 12 cases were reported as ocular, 1 case was combined, and 1 case was unspecified. The presumed source of infection was reported in 5 cases only. Importantly, 22 AEM patients reported a history of eating raw monitor lizard (Varanus spp.) tissues in the past. As apex predators, monitor lizards accumulate high numbers of L3 responsible for acute illness in humans. For ocular cases, the source was not identified. Most cases were diagnosed based on nematode findings and clinical pathology (primarily eosinophilia in the cerebrospinal fluid). Only two cases were confirmed to be A. cantonensis, one by immunoblot and the other by q-PCR. Cases of angiostrongylosis have been reported in Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Telangana, and West Bengal. With a population of more than 1.4 billion, India is one of the least studied areas for A. cantonensis. It is likely that many cases remain undetected/unreported. Since most cases have been reported from the state of Kerala, further research may focus on this region. Gastropods, amphibians, and reptiles are commonly consumed in India; however, typical preparation methods involve cooking, which kills the nematode larvae. In addition to studying rodent and mollusk hosts, monitor lizards can be used as effective sentinels. Sequence data are urgently needed to answer the question of the identity of Angiostrongylus-like metastrongylid nematodes isolated from all types of hosts. DNA-based diagnostic methods such as q-PCR and LAMP should be included in clinical diagnosis of suspected cases and in studies of genetic diversity and species identity of nematodes tentatively identified as A. cantonensis.

Links

GA22-26136S, research and development project
Name: Probíhající globální invaze zoonotické hlístice Angiostrongylus cantonensis: analýza rizik rozšíření v Evropě
Investor: Czech Science Foundation