title: First report of a naturally patent infection of Angiostrongylus costaricensis in a dog.
abstract: Angiostrongylus costaricensis is the zoonotic agent of abdominal angiostrongyliasis in several countries in North and South America. Rodents are recognized as the main definitive hosts of A. costaricensis, but other wildlife species can develop patent infections. Although, several human cases have been described in the literature, the role of domestic animals in the epidemiology of the infection is not clear. Here we review the literature available on A. costaricensis in mammals and describe the first confirmed fatal case of abdominal angiostrongyliasis in a 4-month-old dog, presented with intestinal perforation, peritonitis and faecal shedding of first-stage larvae. Parasite identity was confirmed by morphology, histology and molecular characterization of target genes. This is the first record of a naturally infected dog acting as a definitive host for A. costaricensis. These data suggest that dogs may potentially spread this parasite in urbanized areas.
authors: Departamento de Patologia, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica.
authors: Alejandro
authors: A
authors: Alfaro-Alarcón
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Veneziano
authors: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Naples, Italy.
authors: Giorgio
authors: G
authors: Galiero
authors: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Naples, Italy.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Cerrone
authors: Intensivet, Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Hospital, San José, Costa Rica.
authors: Natalia
authors: N
authors: Gutierrez
authors: Intensivet, Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Hospital, San José, Costa Rica.
authors: Adriana
authors: A
authors: Chinchilla
authors: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
authors: Giada
authors: G
authors: Annoscia
authors: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
authors: Vito
authors: V
authors: Colella
authors: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy; Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Research Centre, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Recife, Pernambuco 50670-420, Brazil.
authors: Filipe
authors: F
authors: Dantas-Torres
authors: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
authors: Domenico
authors: D
authors: Otranto
authors: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Naples, Italy. Electronic address: marisant@libero.it.
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Santoro
mesh_terms: D000801:Angiostrongylus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D018510:RNA, Helminth / Q000235:genetics; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D018510:RNA, Helminth; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; C075526:RNA, ribosomal, 12S
keywords: Abdominal angiostrongyliasis; Angiostrongylidae; Molecular analyses; Pet; Reservoir; Zoonotic helminth