Parastrongylus cantonensis in a Nonhuman Primate, Florida

Abstract

Parastrongylus (= Angiostrongylus) cantonensis is a parasitic nematode of Norway rats throughout tropical regions. This parasite is neurotropic and causes disease and death in humans and other mammals. We report the first identification of P. cantonensis, as the cause of a debilitating neurologic disease in a captive primate in Florida.

Keywords

• Parastrongylus (= Angiostrongylus) cantonensis
• central nervous system
• parasitic infections
• nematode
• neurologic diseases
• eosinophilic meningitis