Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz ISSN: 1678-8060 EISSN: 1678-8060 Vol. 89, Num. 1, 1994, pp. 121

Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, 
Vol. 89(1): 121, jan./mar. 1994

RESEARCH NOTE

Natural Infection of Phyllocaulis soleiformis with Larvae Morphologically Similar to L2 of Angiostrongylus costaricensis

Carlos Graeff-Teixeira*, Viviane M Pinto, Enio Busato Junior*, Aventino A Agostini*

Laboratorio de Parasitologia, Instituto de Biociencias, PUC RS, Av. Ipiranga 6681, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, RS Brasil *Departamento de Patologia, ICB, Universidade de Passo Fundo, 99052-630 Passo Fundo, RS, Brasil

IC-FAPERGS fellowships (9150268.3): UM Pinto & E Busato Jr; CNPq Pesq 2C (301076/91-0): C. Graeff-Teixeira.

Received 3 June 1993, Accepted 6 January 1994

Code Number: OC94023
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Key words: Phyllocaulis soleiformis - Angiostrongylus costaricensis

Veronicellid slugs have been reported as the most important intermediate hosts for Angiostrongylus costaricensis, an intra-arterial nematode of rodents (P Moreira 1973 Am J Trop Med Hyg 22: 613-621). In southern Brazil, Phyllocaulis variegatus was found infected (C Graeff-Teixeira et al 1989 Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 84: 65-67). The geographic distribution of this mollusc is coincident with the endemic area for abdominal angiostrongyliasis. Otherwise, Phyllocaulis soleiformis is usually collected from the central high plains in Rio Grande do Sul, a non-endemic area for A. costaricensis infection (C Graeff-Teixeira et al 1990 Rev Inst Med trop Sao Paulo 35: 373-378).

A recent diagnosis in a patient living in that region led to a search for the source of infection. Molluscs were collected in February 1992 and the parasitological examination of 34 P. soleiformis resulted in the detection of a partially destroyed larva with a delicate groove in the tail (Fig.). This is a feature described for A. costaricensis larvae (Morera loc. cit.). Another trial was performed in September 1992 and revealed two out of 28 P. soleiformis infected with similar larvae. Inoculation in mice and the study of adult worms for the definitive identification was not possible because most of the larvae were dead and partially destroyed. Collection and parasitological examination of slugs from that area will continue in order to confirm this finding.

This is an indication that P. soleiformis is an intermediate host for A. costaricensis and that the parasite occurs in an area considered to be of low-risk for the human infection. The study of several endemic foci of abdominal angiostrongyliasis demonstrated a lack of specificity for intermediate hosts, since several terrestrial molluscs have been found infected (C Graeff-Teixeira et al 1993 Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 88: 487-489). However, differences in susceptibility and behavior of species may play an important role in the intensity of transmission in different foci.

Fig 1. Tail of a larvae found in Phyllocaulis soleiformis, showing a delicate transversal groove (arrow) (bar = 10 um).

Copyright 1994 Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz.

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