title: Enzootic Angiostrongylus cantonensis in rats and snails after an outbreak of human eosinophilic meningitis, Jamaica.
abstract: After an outbreak in 2000 of eosinophilic meningitis in tourists to Jamaica, we looked for Angiostrongylus cantonensis in rats and snails on the island. Overall, 22% (24/109) of rats harbored adult worms, and 8% (4/48) of snails harbored A. cantonensis larvae. This report is the first of enzootic A. cantonensis infection in Jamaica, providing evidence that this parasite is likely to cause human cases of eosinophilic meningitis.
authors.affiliation: University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica.
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lindo
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Waugh
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Colette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cunningham-Myrie
authors.forename: Deanna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ashley
authors.forename: Mark L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Eberhard
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Henry S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Bishop
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Holtz
authors.forename: Ralph D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D017185:Angiostrongylus cantonensis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D051381:Rats / Q000469:parasitology*; D012908:Snails / Q000469:parasitology*