Ongoing global invasion of zoonotic parasitic nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis: an assessment of risks of its emergence in Europe

Proposed research represents ambitious reaction to ongoing invasion of A.cantonensis, a metastrongylid parasitic rodent-borne nematode causing human eosinophilic meningitis, and its actual emergence in Europe. Complexity of the life cycle of A.c. and zoonotic character of the infection call for multidisciplinary approaches under the One Health paradigm. Our major ambition is to take a lead in research on A.c. in Europe, to fill existing gaps in knowledge on A. c. ecology, biology and genomics and to predict the magnitude of potential invasion into European ecosystems and risks of emergence of clinical cases in humans and animals. To reach this ambition, we will combine extensive survey on ecology/epidemiology of A.c. and modeling of its ecological niche in major infection foci in Canary Islands and Mediterranean with experimental investigation of neglected parts of the life-cycle and transmission biology related to invasion into temperate climatic zone. Finally yet importantly, we will apply advanced genomics to study the diversity of invasive lineages and their origin.