Aelurostrongylus abstrusus explained

Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is a species of nematode from the family Angiostrongylidae.^[1]

The Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is a cosmopolitan parasite found to be living in the bronchi and alveoli of the lungs of infected cats. Those infected tend to not show many symptoms, if any, as the infection is asymptomatic, leading to shorter lifespans of cats that have been infected. This parasite is typically found in Europe, but also can be found in Africa, Australia, and North and South America.

Hosts

Intermediate hosts include:

• land snail Achatina fulica^[1]
• land snail Thelidomus aspera^[2]
• garden snail Cornu aspersum

Final hosts include:

• cats (family Felidae)^[3]

References

4. Studzińska, M. B., Demkowska-Kutrzepa, M., Komsta, R., Tomczuk, K., Kruczek, A., Junkuszew, A., & Dudko, P. (2017). Aelurostrongylus abstrusus - The Cause of Respiratory Disease. Medycyna Weterynaryjna, 73(11), 739–742. https://doi.org/10.21521/mw.5793

5. Morelli, S., Colombo, M., Diakou, A., Traversa, D., Grillini, M., Frangipane di Regalbono, A., & Di Cesare, A. (2021). The Influence of Temperature on the Larval Development of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in the Land Snail Cornu aspersum. Pathogens, 10(8), 960. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10080960

Further reading

• Ash . L. R. . Diagnostic morphology of the third-stage larvae of Angiostrongylus cantonensis, Angiostrongylus vasorum, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, and Anafilaroides rostratus (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea) . The Journal of Parasitology . 56 . 2 . 249–253 . 1970 . 5445821 . 10.2307/3277651. 3277651 .

Notes and References

1. Ohlweiler . F. P. . Guimarães . M. C. D. A. . Takahashi . F. Y. . Eduardo . J. M. . Current distribution of Achatina fulica, in the State of São Paulo including records of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (Nematoda) larvae infestation . 10.1590/S0036-46652010000400009 . Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo . 52 . 4 . 211–214 . 2010 . 21748230. free . PDF.
2. Lindo . J. F. . Waugh . C. . Hall . J. . Cunningham-Myrie . C. . Ashley . D. . Eberhard . M. L. . Sullivan . J. J. . Bishop . H. S. . Robinson . D. G. . Holtz . T. . Robinson . R. D. . Enzootic Angiostrongylus cantonensis in Rats and Snails after an Outbreak of Human Eosinophilic Meningitis, Jamaica . 10.3201/eid0803.010316 . Emerging Infectious Diseases . 8 . 3 . 324–326 . 2002 . 11927033. 2732477 .
3. Jefferies . R. . Vrhovec . M. G. . Wallner . N. . Catalan . D. R. . Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus sp. (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea) infections in cats inhabiting Ibiza, Spain . 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.06.032 . Veterinary Parasitology . 173 . 3–4 . 344–348 . 2010 . 20674179.