[A review of researches on Angiostrongylus cantonensis and angiostrongyliasis cantonensis: analysis of related literatures].

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a lung worm of rat (definitive host). Human, an abnormal host, can acquire the infection by ingesting food containing the infective larvae of this worm (third-stage larvae). Although the larvae cannot develop into adult worm in human body, it moves to human brain and eyes, causing eosinophilic meningitis (EM), meningoencephalitis, or ocular angiostrongyliasis (OA). Here we review papers related to Angiostrongylus cantonensis and angiostrongyliasis cantonensis which were published in recent ten years, and identify the main institutes and principal investigators (PI) who are researching Angiostrongylus cantonensis. We also outline the advances in research on pathogen biology, pathogenesis, diagnostic techniques, epidemiology and prevention, as well as drug developed against Angiostrongylus cantonensis.