Clinical and epidemiological aspects of abdominal angiostrongyliasis in Southern Brazil

Abstract

Most of the cases of abdominal angiostrongyliasis in Brazil were reported from the southern States of São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul (RS). A study in 27 cases from RS revealed a distinct local epidemiology. Peasants were usually affected, either adults or children, from the mountainous areas in the north of the Suite. There was a seasonal increase in the number of cases, from late spring to autumn, that does not coincide with the rainy season. Besides the most common clinical features of abdominal pain, fever and cosinophilia in the leucogram, painful relapsing episodes were detected in some patients. The abdominal pain could be either localized or diffuse during the rapid evolution to a surgical abdominal condition, with a letality of 7.4%. The use of a serological test and the greater awareness of physicians working in endemic areas is expected to improve the recognition of uncomplicated and benign courses of the disease. This study confirms the known clinical manifestations of abdominal angiostrongyliasis and demonstrates the diversity of its epidemiology.

Abdominal Angiostrongylosis in Southern Brazil - Prevalence and Parasitic Burden in Mollusc Intermediate Hosts from Eighteen Endemic Foci

“…Fax: +55-51-339.1511 (R 3148) Received 9 May 1996 Accepted 4 September 1996 (Graeff-Teixeira et al 1991).…”

Diagnosis of abdominal angiostrongyliasis by PCR from sera of patients

“…Man could be infected after ingestion of food or water contaminated with third stage larva (L3) eliminated in the mucous secretions of slugs, especially from the family Veronicellidae 10 . The parasite has been reported from Southern United States to Northern Argentina 3,13 and in Brazil there is an endemic area in the Southern States of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul 5,11 . The huge inflammatory reaction in human tissues prevents the elimination of larvae in the feces.…”

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

“…Graeff-Teixeira C et al In southern Brazil, it has been previously demonstrated that the parasitosis affects adults as well as children 6 . The present results show an overall predominance of adults with positive serology for abdominal angiostrongyliasis.…”