The common frog (Rana temporaria) as a potential paratenic and intermediate host forAngiostrongylus vasorum

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Abstract
Common frogs (Rana temporaria) were exposed either to third-stage larvae (L3) or to first-stage larvae (L1) ofAngiostrongylus vasorum. Following exposure to L3, viable larvae could be detected in the frogs for at least 2 weeks. Following exposure to L1, the frogs developed viable L3 in their tissues within 30 days. In a test of the infectivity of these larvae, one fox was fed frogs previously infected with L3 and another fox was fed frogs previously infected with L1. On autopsy it was found that adultA. vasorum populations had been established in both foxes. Thus, it could be concluded that frogs can act not only as paratenic hosts but also as intermediate hosts forA. vasorum.