Hidden threats in urban environments: Angiostrongylus cantonensis in Banda Aceh's cityscape.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a mollusk-borne parasitic nematode originating in Southeast Asia. Commonly known as the rat lungworm, it uses rats as definitive hosts, though other mammals, including humans, can be infected and typically suffer from neurological disorders. This study focuses on the parasite's presence in its gastropod intermediate hosts in several urban and rural areas in Aceh province, Sumatra, Indonesia. Samples of Achatina (Lissachatina) fulica (161) and Pomacea sp. (90) were collected in eight localities in Banda Aceh. Additionally, 531 edible freshwater snails belonging to the genus Sulcospira sp. from three different localities in Aceh province were obtained in wet markets. All samples were examined by LAMP and qPCR for the A. cantonensis DNA. No samples of Sulcospira sp. and Pomacea sp. tested positive. 13.4% of L. fulica tested positive, with the highest prevalence in urban areas of Banda Aceh. The ITS1 sequences obtained from positive samples using conventional PCR confirmed 100% identity with A. cantonensis. The present study confirms, for the first time, the presence of the zoonotic parasite A. cantonensis in Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia. Notably, the handling and consumption of snails sold at wet markets do not appear to increase the risk of eosinophilic meningitis in this region. However, the relatively high prevalence of A. cantonensis in urban land snails underscores the need for continued vigilance and public health awareness.