The occurrence ofAngiostrongylus vasorumin terrestrial slugs from forests and parks in the Copenhagen area, Denmark

Abstract

AbstractA total of 298 slugs belonging to four species,Arion lusitanicus,A. ater,A. ater rufusandLimax maximus, were collected from six different localities within a radius of 30 km from Copenhagen and examined for naturally acquiredAngiostrongylus vasoruminfection. Overall, 28 slugs (9%) were infected, but the prevalence varied among the studied localities: Rude Forest (26%), West Amager Forest (18%), Jaegersborg Forest and Deer Park (8%), Frederiksberg Park (4%), Assistens Cemetery Park (0%) and Frederiksberg Botanical Garden (0%). Only third-stage larvae (L3) were recovered from the slugs, in numbers ranging from 1 to 392 per slug. Overall 82% of the infected slugs harboured fewer than 10 larvae and only 14% harboured over 100 larvae.