Longitudinal clinical and serological survey of abdominal angiostrongyliasis in Guaporé, southern Brazil, from 1995 to 1999

• Main Authors: Graeff-Teixeira Carlos, Goulart Aline Hamilton, Brum Charles de Ornellas, Laitano Antonio Carlo, Sievers-Tostes Charlotte, Zanini Graziela Maria, Bered Patrícia Leão, Morassutti Alessandra, Geiger Stefan, Abrahms-Sandi Elizabeth, Oliveira Fernanda Teixeira dos Santos, Maurer Rafael Lucyk, Aguiar Luís Felipe, Garrido Cinara Tentardini, Silva Ana Cristina Aramburu da, Rodriguez Rubens, Schulz-Key Hartwig, Agostini Aventino Alfredo
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2005
• Subjects: Abdominal angiostrongyliasis; Angiostrongylus costaricensis; Abdominal pain; Eosinophilic gastroenteritis; Zoonosis; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/146b23a610be4fd391024dc850be6731

Abdominal angiostrongyliasis is a zoonotic infection caused by Angiostrongylus costaricensis, a nematode with an intra-vascular location in the mesentery. Our objective was to address several aspects of the natural history of this parasitosis, in a longitudinal clinical and seroepidemiological study. A total of 179 individuals living in a rural area with active transmission in southern Brazil were followed for five years (1995-1999) resulting in yearly prevalence of 28.2%, 4.2%, 10%, 20.2% and 2.8% and incidences of 0%, 5.9%, 8% and 1.5%, respectively. Both men and woman were affected with higher frequencies at age 30-49 years. In 32 individuals serum samples were collected at all time points and IgG antibody reactivity detected by ELISA was variable and usually persisting not longer than one year. Some individual antibody patterns were suggestive of re-infection. There was no association with occurrence of abdominal pain or of other enteroparasites and there was no individual with a confirmed (histopathologic) diagnosis. Mollusks were found with infective third-stage larvae in some houses with an overall prevalence of 16% and a low parasitic burden. In conclusion, abdominal angiostrongyliasis in southern Brazil may be a frequent infection with low morbidity and a gradually decreasing serological reactivity.