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Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment / Parasitic Infections and Diagnostics · Journal article
Zoonoses and Public Health · September 10, 2026
Early or partial results. Treat as a signal, not a conclusion.
This prospective cross-sectional surveillance of 407 rats across mainland Spain identified A. cantonensis in only 2 individuals (0.5%, 95% CI 0.1–1.8), both black rats from Valencia, with molecular confirmation. The findings establish a localized distribution of this zoonotic parasite in Spanish rat populations and highlight the need for continuous One Health surveillance to characterize European epidemiology and public health risk.
Prospective cross-sectional surveillance study. Norway rats (n=244) and black rats (n=163) sampled across mainland Spain; no specific eligibility criteria stated.. Intervention: Systematic necropsy and stereomicroscopic examination of cardiopulmonary tissue; molecular confirmation of nematodes.. n = 407. Mainland Spain; positive cases identified in Valencia, eastern mainland Spain..
A. cantonensis prevalence in 407 Spanish rats: 0.5% (2/407; 95% CI: 0.1–1.8) Both positive cases were black rats (Rattus rattus) from Valencia, eastern mainland Spain Adult nematodes found in cardiopulmonary tissue; molecular sequencing confirmed 100% nucleotide identity with A. cantonensis from gastropods in Spain and USA
No assessment of human A. cantonensis infection risk or public health impact; continuous surveillance outcome not quantified.
This surveillance establishes that A. cantonensis, the leading parasitic cause of human eosinophilic meningoencephalitis, is present but uncommon in Spanish rat populations and geographically localized to Valencia. Clinicians and public health professionals should remain alert to the possibility of A. cantonensis infection in European patients with eosinophilic meningoencephalitis, particularly those with exposure to rat-contaminated food or environments in affected regions.
First large-scale surveillance study of A. cantonensis in Spanish rats; descriptive cross-sectional design with low prevalence and localized findings that establish baseline epidemiology but do not assess clinical outcomes or public health risk quantitatively.
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This surveillance establishes that A. cantonensis, the leading parasitic cause of human eosinophilic meningoencephalitis, is present but uncommon in Spanish rat populations and geographically localized to Valencia. Clinicians and public health professionals should remain alert to the possibility of A. cantonensis infection in European patients with eosinophilic meningoencephalitis, particularly those with exposure to rat-contaminated food or environments in affected regions.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) and black rats (Rattus rattus) are the definitive hosts and primary reservoirs of Angiostrongylus cantonensis, an emerging zoonotic parasite globally considered the leading cause of human eosinophilic meningoencephalitis. A. cantonensis surveillance in rodent populations in Europe has been conducted in restricted geographic areas, but large-scale epidemiological studies remain lacking. We aimed to determine the prevalence of A. cantonensis in rat populations across mainland Spain and assess the spatial distribution of the parasite. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted between 2022 and 2025, comprising a total of 407 individuals (244 Norway rats and 163 black rats). During necropsy, cardiopulmonary tissues were systematically collected and examined under a stereomicroscope for the presence of adult A. cantonensis. In addition, a nested molecular technique was performed to confirm the taxonomic identity of adult nematodes visualized during stereomicroscopic examination. Cardiopulmonary dissection revealed that only two individuals out of 407 (0.5%; 95% CI: 0.1-1.8), both black rats (Rattus rattus) from Valencia (eastern mainland Spain), harboured adult nematodes morphologically compatible with A. cantonensis in the heart. These parasites were successfully sequenced and molecularly confirmed as A. cantonensis, exhibiting 100% nucleotide identity with A. cantonensis sequences previously reported from gastropods in Spain and the USA. These findings evidence a localized distribution of A. cantonensis in rats across mainland Spain. Nevertheless, conducting continuous One Health surveillance of A. cantonensis in Europe is essential to fully understand the epidemiology of this parasite and to assess the associated potential public health risks across the continent.
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