Angiostrongylus vasorum: Experimental Infection and Larval Development inOmalonyx matheroni

Abstract

The susceptibility and suitability ofOmalonyx matheronias an intermediate host ofAngiostrongylus vasorumand the characteristics of larval recovery and development were investigated. Mollusks were infected, and from the 3rd to the 25th day after infection, larvae were recovered from groups of 50 individuals. The first observation of L2 was on the 5th day, and the first observation of L3 was on the 10th day. From the 22nd day on, all larvae were at the L3 stadium. Larval recovery varied from 78.2% to 95.2%. We found larval development to be faster inO. matheronithan inBiomphalaria glabrata. Our findings indicate that this mollusk is highly susceptible toA. vasorum. Infective L3 were orally inoculated into a dog, and the prepatent period was 39 days. This is the first study to focus onO. matheronias an intermediate host ofA. vasorum.