Validation of a death assay for Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae (L3) using propidium iodide in a rat model (Rattus norvegicus)

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a pathogenic nematode and the cause of neuroangiostrongyliasis, an eosinophilic meningitis more commonly known as rat lungworm disease. Transmission is thought to be primarily due to ingestion of infective third stage larvae (L3) in gastropods, on produce, or in contam...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Parasitology 2019-09, Vol.146 (11), p.1421-1428
Main Authors: Jarvi, Susan I., Jacob, John, Sugihara, Robert T., Leinbach, Israel L., Klasner, Ina H., Kaluna, Lisa M., Snook, Kirsten A., Howe, M. Kathleen, Jacquier, Steven H., Lange, Ingo, Atkinson, Abigail L., Deane, Ashley R., Niebuhr, Chris N., Siers, Shane R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Angiostrongylus cantonensis
Angiostrongylus cantonensis - growth & development
Angiostrongylus cantonensis - physiology
Animals
Anthelmintic agents
Antiparasitic agents
Biological Assay - methods
Biomarkers - analysis
Chemical treatment
Death
Disease transmission
Electromagnetic radiation
Female
In vitro methods and tests
Infectivity
Ingestion
Iodides
Iodine
Laboratories
Larva - growth & development
Larva - physiology
Larvae
Leukocytes (eosinophilic)
Male
Meningitis
Mortality
Motility
Nematodes
Parasites
Parasitology - methods
Propidium - chemistry
Propidium iodide
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Stains & staining
Vinegar
Water pollution
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Summary:Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a pathogenic nematode and the cause of neuroangiostrongyliasis, an eosinophilic meningitis more commonly known as rat lungworm disease. Transmission is thought to be primarily due to ingestion of infective third stage larvae (L3) in gastropods, on produce, or in contaminated water. The gold standard to determine the effects of physical and chemical treatments on the infectivity of A. cantonensis L3 larvae is to infect rodents with treated L3 larvae and monitor for infection, but animal studies are laborious and expensive and also raise ethical concerns. This study demonstrates propidium iodide (PI) to be a reliable marker of parasite death and loss of infective potential without adversely affecting the development and future reproduction of live A. cantonensis larvae. PI staining allows evaluation of the efficacy of test substances in vitro, an improvement upon the use of lack of motility as an indicator of death. Some potential applications of this assay include determining the effectiveness of various anthelmintics, vegetable washes, electromagnetic radiation and other treatments intended to kill larvae in the prevention and treatment of neuroangiostrongyliasis.
ISSN:0031-1820
1469-8161
DOI:10.1017/S0031182019000908