[Investigation on Angiostrongylus cantonensis Infection in Rodents in Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province].

Objective: To investigate the Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in rodents in Zhangzhou City and provide basis for control the disease.

Methods: Eighteen villages in 4 counties, which located in coastal and mountain regions of rodent breeding, were selected between 2013-2015. Rodents were collected by cage trapping, and organs of heart and lungs were prepared for microscopic examination of A. cantonensis after identification of the species and age of the rodent. The infection rate was calculated and correlation between natural environment and the infection rate was analyzed.

Results: A total of 1 551 rodents were collected and identified to be Rattus flavipectus, R. norvegicus, Sorex araneus, Mus musculus and R. lossea with a high-to-low ranking of R. flavipectus（41.8%）, R. norvegicus（28.4%） and S. araneus（20.9%）. The overall infection mice was 9.2%（142/1 551）. The infection rates of R. norvegicus and R. flavipectus were 13.2%（58/441） and 11.4%（74/649） respectively, both significantly higher than that of Sorex araneus［1.5%（5/323）］, Mus musculus［1.4%（1/74）］ and R. lossea［6.3%（4/63）］ （P<0.05）. The infection rate in the costal regions was 12.4%（83/668）, significantly higher than that in the mountain regions（6.68%, 59/883）（χ2=15.083, P<0.05）. Moreover, in contrast with the significant difference in the infection rate between hilly（9.2%, 46/499） and mountainous areas（3.4%, 13/384）, there the infection rate showed no significant difference between coastal flatland（12.7%, 53/416） and coastal hilly areas（11.9%, 30/252） （χ2=2.264, P>0.05）. In addition, 696 adult worms were found in 142 infected rodents. These worms mainly located in the pulmonary artery（94.3%）, then and the heart （5.7%）. There was also no significant difference in infection rate between male（9.2%, 73/795） and female rodents（9.1%, 69/756） （P>0.05）.

Conclusion: R. flavipectus and R. norvegicus are the important reservoir hosts for A. cantonensis in Zhangzhou. The infection rate in different species of rodents varies in different ecological environments.