title: A survey of Angiostrongylus species in definitive hosts in Queensland.
abstract: Despite the recent sporadic reports of angiostrongyliasis in humans, dogs and wildlife in eastern Australia there has been no systematic study to explore the epidemiology of Angiostrongylus spp. in definitive and intermediate hosts in the region. Little is known about the epidemiology of Angiostrongylus species in the definitive host in southeast Queensland, since the only survey conducted in this region was performed in the late 1960s. In this study, free-living populations of Rattus spp. were sampled and examined for the presence of adult and larval Angiostrongylus in the lungs, and of larvae in faeces. The prevalence of infection with Angiostrongylus spp. was 16.5% in Rattus spp. trapped in urban Brisbane and surrounds. This prevalence is much higher than estimates of earlier studies. This highlights the possible risk of zoonotic infection in children, dogs and wildlife in this region and indicates the necessity for public awareness as well as more detailed epidemiological studies on this parasite in eastern Australia.
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia ; QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: Mahdis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aghazadeh
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: Simon A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.affiliation: Queensland Museum and Sciencentre, QLD 4101, Australia.
authors.forename: Kieran V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Aland
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, Australian National University, ACT 0200, Australia.
authors.forename: Angela Cadavid
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Restrepo
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Traub
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia ; School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia ; QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: Malcolm K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Jones
keywords: Angiostrongylus cantonensis; Angiostrongylusmackerrasae; Australia; Rat lungworm; Rattus rattus; Southeast Queensland