Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2024 Dec 30;13(12):639-642.
doi: 10.1093/jpids/piae113.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis Meningoencephalitis in Three Pediatric Patients in Florida, USA

Melinda D Chance  1 , Anniesha D Noel  1 , Amelia B Thompson  1 , Natalie Marrero  2 , Fernando Bula-Rudas  2 , Christopher M Horvat  3 , Jerril Green  3 , Jennifer E Armstrong  1 , Fatma Levent  1 , Robert A Dudas  2 , Serena Shaffren  2 , Aaron Samide  2 , Katie Martinez  4 , Kimberly Stockdale  5 , Rebecca J Chancey  6
Affiliations
Case Reports

Angiostrongylus cantonensis Meningoencephalitis in Three Pediatric Patients in Florida, USA

Melinda D Chance et al. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. .

Abstract

Eosinophilic meningoencephalitis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis has been reported in several southern U.S. states and Hawai'i. We present the first locally acquired human cases of A. cantonensis meningoencephalitis in three children in Florida, occurring between June 2021 and January 2022. Clinicians should be attuned to this possible diagnosis in this region.

Keywords: Angiostrongylus cantonensis; angiostrongyliasis; eosinophilia; eosinophilic meningitis; rat lung worm.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Potential conflicts of interest. All authors: No reported conflicts.

References

    1. Biology Cowie R., systematics, life cycle, and distribution of Angiostrongylus cantonensis, the cause of rat lungworm disease. Hawaii J Med Public Health 2013; 72:6–9. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Graeff-Teixeira C, da Silva ACA, Yoshimura K. Update on eosinophilic meningoencephalitis and its clinical relevance. Clin Microbiol Rev 2009; 22:322–48. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Wallace GD. The discovery of humans in Hawai’i infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis, and early epidemiological findings. Hawai’i J Med Public Health 2013; 72:Supplement 2.
    1. Duffy MS, Miller CL, Kinsella JM, de Lahunta A. Parastrongylus cantonensis in a nonhuman primate, Florida. Emerg Infect Dis 2004; 10:2207–10. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Stockdale Walden HD, Slapcinsky JD, Roff S, et al. Geographic distribution of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in wild rats (Rattus rattus) and terrestrial snails in Florida, USA. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0177910. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types