Objective: To observe the effect of artificially construction of the life cycle of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in the laboratory condition, so as to provide the basis for the research of angiostrongyliasis.
Methods: SD rats were infected orally with the third-stage larvae of A. cantonensis collected from infected Pomacea canaliculata. Six weeks after the infection, the first-stage larvae were isolated and counted from fresh feces of the rats and then were used to infect P. canaliculata. Three weeks later, the snails were dissected for counting the third-staged larvae of A. cantonensis.
Results: The first-stage larvae were detected in the feces of the rats 6 weeks after the infection, and the third-staged larvae were successfully isolated after the infection of P. canaliculata.
Conclusion: The animal model of the entire life cycle of A. cantonensis is successfully established in the laboratory with the infection of 50 larvae per rat.