Phylogeography of Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Nematoda: Angiostrongylidae) in southern China and some surrounding areas

• Published in: PLoS neglected tropical diseases Vol. 11; no. 8; p. e0005776
• Main Authors: Peng, Jian, He, Zhang-Ping, Zhang, Shuai, Lun, Zhao-Rong, Wu, Zhong-Dao, Fan, Chia-Kwung, Brown, Christopher L, Cheng, Po-Ching, Peng, Shih-Yi, Yang, Ting-Bao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 01.08.2017; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Analysis; Angiostrongylus cantonensis - genetics; Angiostrongylus cantonensis - isolation & purification; Animals; Biodiversity; Biology and Life Sciences; China; Computer and Information Sciences; Cytochrome; Cytochrome b; Cytochromes; Cytochromes b - genetics; Demographics; Demography; Differentiation; Distribution; Diversity indices; Earth Sciences; Ecology and Environmental Sciences; Funding; Gene flow; Gene sequencing; Genetic diversity; Genetic Variation; Haplotypes; Laboratories; Leukocytes (eosinophilic); Life sciences; Local population; Medicine; Medicine and Health Sciences; Meningitis; Meningoencephalitis; Mitochondria; Molecular Epidemiology; Parasitology; People and Places; Phylogeny; Phylogeography; Physiological aspects; Population genetics; Populations; Public health; Pulmonary arteries; R&D; Rat lungworm; Research & development; Software; Taiwan; Thailand; Trends; Tropical diseases; Zoonoses; Thailand; China; Taiwan
• ISSN: 1935-2735; 1935-2727; 1935-2735
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005776

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is of increasing public health importance as the main zoonotic pathogen causing eosinophilic meningitis or meningoencephalitis, which has been documented all over the world. However, there are very limited studies about its phylogeography and spread pattern. In the present study, the phylogeography of A. cantonensis in southern China (including Taiwan) and partial areas of Southeast Asia were studied based on the sequences of complete mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cytb) gene. A total of 520 individuals of A. cantonensis obtained from 13 localities were sequenced for the analyses and grouped into 42 defined haplotypes. The phylogenetic tree (NJ tree and BI tree) revealed a characteristic distribution pattern of the four main lineages, with detectable geographic structure. Genetic differentiation among populations was significant, but demographic expansion could not be detected by either neutrality tests or mismatch distribution analysis, which implied a low gene flow among the local populations in different regions where the samples were collected. Two unique lineages of the A. cantonensis population in Taiwan were detected, which suggests its multiple origin in the island. Populations in Hekou (China) and Laos showed the highest genetic diversities, which were supported by both genetic diversity indices and AMOVA. These results together infer that the area around Thailand or Hekou in Yunnan province, China are the most likely origins of Angiostrongylus cantonensis.