Invasive slug Meghimatium pictum (Stoliczka, 1873) infected by Angiostrongylus costaricensis Morera & Céspedes, 1971, and the possible risk of human infection associated with grape consumption

Abstract

Many molluscs may be infected with angiostrongylid larvae. Following the histopathological diagnosis of abdominal angiostrongyliasis in a grape farmer from southern Brazil, molluscs in the area were investigated. During a nocturnal search, 245 specimens of slugs were collected and identified as the invasive Chinese slug Meghimatium pictum. Angiostrongylus costaricensis worms were recovered from mice that were experimentally infected with larvae obtained from 11 (4.5%) of the molluscs. This study presents the first report of M. pictum being identified as an intermediate host for A. costaricensis. Most of the slugs were collected from grape plants, which suggests that transmission may be associated with grape consumption.

Terrestrial Slugs in Neotropical Agroecosystems

“…In recent years, slug species have been reported to cause damage in several crops in the Neotropics, including vanilla (Velazquez-Montes de Oca et al, 2014), passion fruit (de Oliveira and Frizzas, 2014), strawberry (Landal et al, 2019;Castellanos Gonzalez et al, 2020), and grapes (Baronio et al, 2014;Rodriguez et al, 2019). Latipes erinaceus (Colosi, 1921) and Sarasinula linguaefomis (Semper, 1885) are other species that are becoming problematic in the Neotropics.…”

“…In 2020, this species was also found in Puerto Rico, affecting small-scale agroecological vegetable production. Recently, the exotic Chinese slug Meghimatium pictum (Stoliczka, 1873) was associated to a case of abdominal angiostrongyliasis in a region where it is a grape pest (Rodriguez et al, 2019). This brings attention to the possible risk of human infection associated with accidental ingestion of contaminated fruit or vegetables containing larvae of the parasitic nematode A. costaricensis, the etiological agent of this parasitosis.…”

Annotated catalogue of species of Angiostrongylus and the related genera Gallegostrongylus, Rodentocaulus and Stefanskostrongylus (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea, Angiostrongylidae)

“…However, it is not clear that all are definitive rather than accidental hosts. Intermediate hosts . Various species of Veronicellidae (Caballero et al ., 1991; Anderson, 2000; Maldonado et al ., 2012), including Sarasinula marginata , experimentally (Mendonça et al ., 2008); Limax maximus Linnaeus, Limacus flavus (Linnaeus) and Bradybaena similaris (Rang) (Graeff Teixeira et al ., 1993); Meghimatium pictum (Stoliczka) (Rodriguez et al ., 2018); possibly Deroceras laeve (Müller) (Maurer et al ., 2002); various Biomphalaria species experimentally (Lima et al ., 1992; Guerino et al ., 2017); Lissachatina fulica (Bowdich) experimentally (Carvalho et al ., 2003); probably many others. Known range . Southern USA to northern Argentina, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela and islands of the Caribbean (Núñez & Mirambell, 1981; Santos, 1985; Jeandel et al ., 1988; Caballero et al ., 1991; Incani et al ., 2007; Maldonado et al ., 2012; Dard et al ., 2018).…”

“…Intermediate hosts . Various species of Veronicellidae (Caballero et al ., 1991; Anderson, 2000; Maldonado et al ., 2012), including Sarasinula marginata , experimentally (Mendonça et al ., 2008); Limax maximus Linnaeus, Limacus flavus (Linnaeus) and Bradybaena similaris (Rang) (Graeff Teixeira et al ., 1993); Meghimatium pictum (Stoliczka) (Rodriguez et al ., 2018); possibly Deroceras laeve (Müller) (Maurer et al ., 2002); various Biomphalaria species experimentally (Lima et al ., 1992; Guerino et al ., 2017); Lissachatina fulica (Bowdich) experimentally (Carvalho et al ., 2003); probably many others.…”

Abdominal angiostrongyliasis in the Americas: fifty years since the discovery of a new metastrongylid species, Angiostrongylus costaricensis

“…The prevalence and load of A. costaricensis larvae in intermediate hosts vary across studies. However, veronicellids are considered highly permissive in the development of this parasite, as high numbers of L3 larvae have been recovered in different studies [ 9 , 61 , 62 , 67 – 69 ] (Table 2 ). An exception to this is B. similaris of the family Bradybaenidae, which has presented a high prevalence of A. costaricensis infection [ 61 ].…”