title: Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in molluscs in the municipality of São Gonçalo, a metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: role of the invasive species Achatina fulica in parasite transmission dynamics.
abstract: The aim of this study was to analyse the infection dynamics of Angiostrongylus cantonensisin its possible intermediate hosts over two years in an urban area in the state of Rio de Janeiro where the presence ofA. cantonensis had been previously recorded in molluscs. Four of the seven mollusc species found in the study were exotic.Bradybaena similaris was the most abundant, followed by Achatina fulica, Streptaxis sp., Subulina octona, Bulimulus tenuissimus, Sarasinula linguaeformis and Leptinaria unilamellata. Only A. fulica and B. similaris were parasitised by A. cantonensis and both presented co-infection with other helminths. The prevalence of A. cantonensis in A. fulica was more than 50% throughout the study. There was an inverse correlation between the population size ofA. fulica and the prevalence of A. cantonensis and abundance of the latter was negatively related to rainfall. The overall prevalence of A. cantonensis in B. similaris was 24.6%. A. fulica was the most important intermediary host of A. cantonensis in the studied area and B. similaris was secondary in importance for A. cantonensis transmission dynamics.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ana P M
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Rosana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Arnaldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maldonado Júnior
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Eduardo J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lopes Torres
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Malacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Silvana C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Thiengo
mesh_terms: D017185:Angiostrongylus cantonensis / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002947:Cities; D057231:Climate Change; D004199:Disease Vectors; D058865:Introduced Species; D016014:Linear Models; D008974:Mollusca / Q000145:classification / Q000469:parasitology; D011891:Rain / Q000469:parasitology; D012908:Snails / Q000145:classification / Q000469:parasitology*; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*