An outbreak of angiostrongyliasis in Guanging, People's Republic of China: migrants vulnerable to an emerging disease.
Angiostrongyliasis has been frequently reported from the People's Republic of China during the last decade. An outbreak of angiostrongyliasis among migrant laborers in Guangning, Guangdong Province is described here. A questionnaire was developed to collect epidemiological and clinical information about 17 migrant laborers from the Bai ethnic group in Dali, Yunnan Province. Serum samples were collected and tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Rats and mollusks from the same area where patients had collected Pomacea canaliculata were examined for presence of Angiostrongylus cantonensis. All 17 Bai migrant laborers consumed P. canaliculata and six had meningitis 3-19 days after consumption of P. canaliculata. Headache, myalgia and fatigue were the most common symptoms. Blood samples from 5 patients were positive for antibodies to A. cantonensis. The places where the migrant laborers collected P. canaliculata were identified as endemic areas for A. cantonensis. This outbreak highlights the vulnerability of migrants to angiostrongyliasis.
The Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. tracydzh@163.com
Zhuo-Hui
ZH
Deng
Shan
S
Lv
Jin-Yan
JY
Lin
Rong-Xing
RX
Lin
Fu-Quan
FQ
Pei
D000328:Adult; D017185:Angiostrongylus cantonensis / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D000818:Animals; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D016266:Food Parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012908:Snails / Q000469:parasitology; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000469:parasitology; D014171:Transients and Migrants; D055815:Young Adult