Angiostrongylus costaricensis (Nematoda: Protostrongylidae): migration route in experimental infection of Omalonyx sp. (Gastropoda: Succineidae)

Abstract

Angiostrongylus costaricensis can infect several mollusks, and its migration route in intermediate hosts has been studied only in Sarasinula marginata. To verify the susceptibility of Omalonyx sp. as an intermediate host of A. costaricensis and to analyze the nematode migration route, individuals were infected with stage 1 larvae. Obtained stage 3 larvae were orally inoculated in mice, and after 30 days, adult worms and stage 1 larvae were recovered, demonstrating Omalonyx susceptibility and suitability to infection. To define the parasite migration routes, specimens of Omalonyx with 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 6 h, 8 h, 2 days, 5 days, 10 days, 12 days, 15 days, 20 days, 21 days, 25 days, 28 days, and 30 days of infection were fixed and serially sectioned. Histological sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. The results were compared to those described in S. marginata. Oral and cutaneous infections were noted. After the penetration, larvae were retained, mainly in the fibromuscular tissue, by hemocytes, or they spread to the whole organism through the circulation, following the anatomical structure of the vasculature. The perilarval hemocyte reaction in Omalonyx was more intense until stage 2 larva instar, decreasing in the presence of stage 3 larvae. Differences in some aspects of hemocyte reaction between S. marginata and Omalonyx exemplify interspecific peculiarities in snail response to the same parasite.

Integrative taxonomy of the neotropical genus Omalonyx (Elasmognatha: Succineidae)

“…The genus Omalonyx d'Orbigny, 1837, includes neotropical semi‐aquatic succineids exhibiting a slug form and reduced shell (Tillier, ). They are known as natural intermediate hosts for bird flukes of the genus Leucochloridium Carus, 1835 (Digenea: Leucochloriidae) (Lutz, ; Travassos, ), and are experimental hosts for the roundworm genus of medical and veterinary importance, Angiostrongylus Kamensky, 1905 (Nematoda: Metastrongylidae) (Montresor et al., ; Mozzer, Montresor, Vidigal, & Lima, ). These slugs were also reported as agricultural pests (Garcia, Arruda, Pimpão, & Batista, ; Olazarri, ).…”

Angiostrongylus vasorum: Experimental Infection and Larval Development inOmalonyx matheroni

“…have a reduced flat shell and slug-like body, and they can be found in humid soil and in macrophytes [8–10]. They have a broad geographical distribution east of the Andes in South America and in the Lesser Antilles Islands [9], including localities where A. vasorum is known to occur [11, 12]. These mollusks are important intermediate hosts of the trematode Leucochloridium [13–15] and are able to support the life cycle of Angiostrongylus costaricensis in the laboratory [12].…”

Predicting the distribution of Omalonyx (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Succineidae) species from literature review, museum databases and new sampling efforts in Brazil

“…After that, Simone (2006) cited the occurrence of O. brasiliensis in Rio Grande do Sul State and considered the occurrence area for the genus Omalonyx to be from Bolivia to Patagonia. Several other records were made in Brazil, including Minas Gerais (Oliveira & Almeida 2000, Arruda et al 2006, Montresor et al 2008 and São Paulo State (Arruda et al 2009, Eduardo et al 2012 (Jesus & Manso, 2010) and Maranhão State (Cantanhede et al 2014) in the northeast; and Amazonas State in the North (Pimpão 2007, Garcia et al 2012. Coscarelli & Vidigal (2011) investigated the distribution of O. unguis in Brazil and included new records for this species.…”

“…They can act as agricultural plagues (Olazarri 1979, Garcia et al 2012 and are agents in the control of water-cress (Poi de Neiff et al 1977). They can also act as intermediate hosts of an avian trematode, Leucochloridium (Lutz 1921, Travassos 1928, in the wild and of the nematodes Angiostrongylus costaricensis and A. vasorum in the laboratory (Montresor et al 2008, Mozzer et al 2011.…”