Angiostrongylus cantonensis in rodent definitive hosts and snail intermediate hosts collected from Biluso, Silang Cavite

• Main Authors: Revilla, Kristine Angela R., Velasco, Janelle Michaela S.
• Format: Theses and Dissertations NonPeerReviewed
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: QH301 Biology; QL Zoology
• Online Access: http://thesis.dlsud.edu.ph/466/7/RevillaVelasco%20...%20-%20Angiostrongylus.pdf; http://thesis.dlsud.edu.ph/466/
• Institution: De La Salle University

Thirty rodent definitive hosts were collected from 3 different sites (agricultural area, residential area and commercial area) in Brgy. Biluso, Silang, Cavite, using rat trap cages and were tested for the presence of Angiostrongylus cantonensis. The types of species of the collected rodents were identified through comparison with the known characteristics in previous studies. The cardiopulmonary region was observed for the presence of the parasite. Ten out of 30 (33%) rodent definitive hosts tested positive for Angiostrongylus cantonensis adult worm. After a blood count analysis, all ten rats positive for the parasite had elevated eosinophil count which confirmed parasitemia. Thirty snail intermediate hosts (Achatina fulica and Helicostyla macrostoma) were also collected from the same sites as the rodent definitive hosts. Baermann technique was used to separate the 3rd larval stage of the parasite. No larvae were detected in the snail hosts subjected to the test because of the limitation in the number of snails that were tested. The absence of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in the collected snail intermediate hosts did not indicate the absence of the prevalence of the parasite in the area. Therefore, there is a need for more attention to the threats of human Angiostrongyliasis because transmission is possible because rodent hosts were found positive and the parasite’s preferred snail hosts were also present in the area.