New host, geographic records, and histopathologic studies of Angiostrongylus spp (Nematoda: Angiostrongylidae) in rodents from Argentina with updated summary of records from rodent hosts and host specificity assessment

• Published in: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol. 111; no. 3; pp. 181 - 191
• Main Authors: Robles, María del Rosario, Kinsella, John M, Galliari, Carlos, Navone, Graciela T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz 01-03-2016; Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde
• Subjects: Angiostrongylus; Angiostrongylus - physiology; Animals; Argentina; Heart - parasitology; histopathology; host specificity; Host Specificity - physiology; Host-Parasite Interactions - physiology; Lung - parasitology; Lung - pathology; Male; Myocardium - pathology; Rodent Diseases - parasitology; Rodentia - parasitology; rodents; Sampling Studies; Sigmodontinae; Sigmodontinae - parasitology; Species Specificity; Argentina
• ISSN: 1678-8060; 0074-0276; 1678-8060
• DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760150371

To date, 21 species of the genus Angiostrongylus (Nematoda:
Angiostrongylidae) have been reported around the world, 15 of which are
parasites of rodents. In this study, new host, geographic records, and
histopathologic studies of Angiostrongylus spp in sigmodontine rodents
from Argentina, with an updated summary of records from rodent hosts
and host specificity assessment, are provided. Records of
Angiostrongylus costaricensis from Akodon montensis and Angiostrongylus
morerai from six new hosts and geographical localities in Argentina are
reported. The gross and histopathologic changes in the lungs of the
host species due to angiostrongylosis are described. Published records
of the genus Angiostrongylus from rodents and patterns of host
specificity are presented. Individual Angiostrongylus species
parasitise between one-19 different host species. The most frequent
values of the specificity index (STD) were between 1-5.97. The elevated
number of host species (n = 7) of A. morerai with a STD = 1.86 is a
reflection of multiple systematic studies of parasites from
sigmodontine rodents in the area of Cuenca del Plata, Argentina,
showing that an increase in sampling effort can result in new findings.
The combination of low host specificity and a wide geographic
distribution of Angiostrongylus spp indicates a troubling
epidemiological scenario although, as yet, no human cases have been
reported.