title: [Investigation on outbreak of angiostrongyliasis cantonensis due to consumption of snail food in Dali City].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the potential cause of an outbreak of eosinophilic meningitis in Dali City in March, 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective investigation was performed among 18 consumers who had meal together. The clinical documents of inpatients were analyzed and the diagnoses were checked. The outpatients were investigated through a case survey. Pomacea snails on sale were examined for the infection status of Angiostrongylus cantonensis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 18 persons, 16 consumed Pomacea snail food and 9 were infected with an infection rate of 56.3%. The two persons who did not consumed snail food were not infected. Serum samples of seven patients were examined for antibody to Angiostrongylus cantonensis in peripheral blood and 3 were proved positive (42.9%). The snails consumed by the patients came from the market, and the surveillance data showed that the infection rate of Angiostrongylus cantonensis of Pomacea snails was 7.3%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the epidemiological survey, clinical manifestations, and laboratory examinations, the outbreak of eosinophilic meningitis is due to the consumption of Pomacea snails infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis.
authors.affiliation: Dali Institute of Schistosomiasis Control, Yunnan Province, Dali 671000, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shao-Rong
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ke-Rong
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ting-Hua
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Jia-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017185:Angiostrongylus cantonensis / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D016266:Food Parasitology; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012908:Snails / Q000469:parasitology*; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth