[Study on the epidemiological characteristics and natural infectious focus of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in Shenzhen area of Zhujiang Delta in China].
OBJECTIVE
To delimit the natural infectious focus, including the distribution of wildlife, species, ecology of intermediate hosts and final host of Angiostrongylus cantonensis, as well as the routes of transmission and epidemiological characteristics and wildlife of human Angiostrongylus cantonensis, based on human diverging cases identified in Shenzhen, southern area of China.


METHODS
Data including rate of infection and density of Angiostrongylus cantonensis among different hosts in 12 different areas in Shenzhen was collected, using microscope to inspect homogenate liquids of snails. Wild mice were captured with mouse cage to examine the adult Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Using larva isolated from wild-snails-infected rats to observe the life cycle of Angiostrongylus cantonensis.


RESULTS
Wild life of Angiostrongylus cantonensis existed in the southwest part of Shenzhen with its majority intermediate hosts as Achatina fulica. The overall rate of infection was 31% in wildlife and final host was found to be Rattus andersoni, Achatina fulica which were extensively distributed in the shrub region of Shenzhen because of suitable climate, humidity and vegetation for generating the life cycle of Achatina fulica. Human infected Angiostrongylus cantonensis was mainly due to eating raw snails or vegetables contaminated by larva of Angiostrongylus cantonensis. The peak of infection was seen from April to November in Shenzhen area.


CONCLUSIONS
Wildlife of Angiostrongylus cantonensis existed in the southwest part of Shenzhen with major wildlife reservoir including fresh water snail and wild mouse. The existence of natural focus Angiostrongylus cantonensis was now recognized as an important source of human angiostrongyliasis in Shenzhen area.
Zhang
Ren-Li
RL
Department of Parasitology, Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518020, China.
Gao
Shi-Tong
ST
Geng
Yi-Jie
YJ
Huang
Da-Na
DN
Chen
Mu-Xin
MX
Liu
Jian-Ping
JP
Wu
Yuan-Liang
YL
Zhen
Yin
Y
Dai
Zhuan-Wen
ZW
Zuang
Qi-Wen
QW
Wu
Tai-Shun
TS
Ma
Zhi-Chao
ZC
Chen
Wu-Sheng
WS
Li
Da-Lin
DL
D017185:Angiostrongylus cantonensis; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000469:parasitology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004199:Disease Vectors; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D012908:Snails / Q000469:parasitology*; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology