The effect of temperature and host age on the infectivity and development of Angiostrongylus vasorum in the slug Arion lusitanicus

TY - JOUR

T1 - The effect of temperature and host age on the infectivity and development of Angiostrongylus vasorum in the slug Arion lusitanicus

AU - Ferdushy, Tania

AU - Kapel, Christian Moliin Outzen

AU - Webster, Pia

AU - Al-Sabi, Mohammad M

AU - Grønvold, Jørn

PY - 2010/6

Y1 - 2010/6

N2 - Experimental infection with Angiostrongylus vasorum was conducted in Iberian slugs Arion lusitanicus. Initially, different size/age groups of juvenile slugs (small, <0.5 g and medium, 0.5-1 g) were exposed to freshly isolated first-stage parasitic larvae (L1) of A. vasorum. The slugs were subsequently incubated at 5, 10 and 15°C for 6 weeks. Larval development within the slugs differed significantly with temperature. At 15°C, all larvae developed into the third larval stage (L3), at 10°C into the second stage (L2), whereas no development was observed at 5°C. The mean larval burdens were highest in the largest group of slugs and tended to increase with higher temperature. In a second experiment isolated L1 were incubated at 5, 10 and 15°C for 3 and 7 days prior to infection of slugs, which then were kept for 6 weeks at 15°C. The infectivity decreased significantly with the larval storage time and the mean larval burden per slug was lower at higher incubating temperature. However, all established larvae developed into infective L3. Temperature had an effect on the development of the larvae and thus an impact on transmission of the parasite as only L3 are infective to the definitive canid hosts.

AB - Experimental infection with Angiostrongylus vasorum was conducted in Iberian slugs Arion lusitanicus. Initially, different size/age groups of juvenile slugs (small, <0.5 g and medium, 0.5-1 g) were exposed to freshly isolated first-stage parasitic larvae (L1) of A. vasorum. The slugs were subsequently incubated at 5, 10 and 15°C for 6 weeks. Larval development within the slugs differed significantly with temperature. At 15°C, all larvae developed into the third larval stage (L3), at 10°C into the second stage (L2), whereas no development was observed at 5°C. The mean larval burdens were highest in the largest group of slugs and tended to increase with higher temperature. In a second experiment isolated L1 were incubated at 5, 10 and 15°C for 3 and 7 days prior to infection of slugs, which then were kept for 6 weeks at 15°C. The infectivity decreased significantly with the larval storage time and the mean larval burden per slug was lower at higher incubating temperature. However, all established larvae developed into infective L3. Temperature had an effect on the development of the larvae and thus an impact on transmission of the parasite as only L3 are infective to the definitive canid hosts.

U2 - 10.1007/s00436-010-1850-x

DO - 10.1007/s00436-010-1850-x

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 20369254

SN - 0932-0113

VL - 107

SP - 147

EP - 151

JO - Parasitology Research

JF - Parasitology Research

IS - 1

ER -