Investigation on the Infection Rate of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in Snails from Different Ecological Environments

Objective To investigate the infection rates of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in Pomacea canaliculata and Achatina fulica from different ecological environments and in Cipangopaludina cahayensis for sale,so as to provide scientific basis for angiostrongyliasis prevention and food safety.Methods Fifty Cipangopaludina cahayensis were purchased in the Guandong Dongmen Market.Fifty Pomacea canaliculata were collected from the sewage pool and the creek respectively,and 45 Achatina fulica were collected from the shrub,the strawberry field and the residential area respectively.The third phase larvae of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in the well-proportioned tissue solution made from each snail were observed under the microscope.The infection rates were compared by chi-square test among different snail species and regions.Results The infection rates of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in the local Pomacea canaliculata,local Achatina fulica and ecdemic Cipangopaludina cahayensis were 30.0%,15.6% and 8.0% respectively,indicating significant difference(P0.05).The infection rates in the Pomacea canaliculata from the sewage pool and the creek near the Quishui mountain were 56.0% and 4.0%,respectively,with statistical difference(P0.001).The infection rates for the Achatina fulica collected from the shrub,the strawberry field and the residential area were 31.1%,11.1% and 4.4% respectively,which were statistically different(P0.05).The infection rates for the Achatina fulica with weight lower or higher than 27.8g were 11.76% and 19.40% respectively,and did not reveal any significant difference(P0.05).Neither did the infection rates for the Pomacea canaliculata with weight lower or higher than 10.75g(36.00%,24.00% respectively,P0.05).Conclusions The infection rate of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in the Pomacea canaliculata is higher than that in the Achatina fulica in Luohu District,Shenzhen.The infection rate in the Pomacea canaliculata from the sewage pool is higher than that from the rivulet.The infection rate in the Achatina fulic from shrub is higher than that from the strawberry field and the residential district.The infection rate in the snails does not correlate with their weight.Infection of Angiostrongylus cantonensis is also found in the Cipangopaludina cahayensis for sale.