Angiostrongylus costaricensis Antibody Test (Abdominal Angiostrongyliasis Blood Test)

This test checks a sample of your blood for antibodies against Angiostrongylus costaricensis, a parasitic worm that infect the abdomen. It helps your doctor find out whether symptoms such as belly pain, fever, or digestive problems are caused by abdominal angiostrongyliasis, an infection that affects the blood vessels of the intestines.

The Angiostrongylus costaricensis antibody test is a blood test that looks for antibodies in your serum (the liquid part of your blood) that your immune system produces when infected with Angiostrongylus costaricensis, a parasitic roundworm. This parasite is also known as the 'rat lungworm' and primarily affects the abdominal organs.

Angiostrongylus costaricensis is a parasitic roundworm found mainly in parts of Central and South America. People can become infected by accidentally swallowing the parasite, often through raw fruits or vegetables contaminated by snails, slugs, or their slime. Once inside the body, the worm settles in the blood vessels of the abdomen, where it can cause inflammation, pain, and swelling in the belly.

Angiostrongylus costaricensis is a parasitic nematode (roundworm) that infects rodents, especially rats. Humans can become accidental hosts by consuming: contaminated vegetables or fruits, unwashed produce, water containing parasite larvae, or undercooked snails and slugs that carry the parasite. The infection is called abdominal angiostrongyliasis or visceral larva migrans.

A health care professional will clean your skin and draw a small sample of blood from a vein, usually on the inside of your elbow or the back of your hand. The sample is sent to a laboratory, where it is examined for antibodies that your immune system produces in response to the parasite. The procedure takes only a few minutes, and you can usually return to your normal activities right afterward.

A healthcare provider will draw a small blood sample from a vein in your arm. This sample is then sent to a laboratory where technicians test it for the presence of antibodies against Angiostrongylus costaricensis. The test result will indicate whether antibodies were 'Detected' (Present) or 'Not Detected' (Absent).

A positive result means antibodies to Angiostrongylus costaricensis were found in your blood, which suggests you have been or are currently infected with the parasite. A negative result usually means no infection was detected, but antibodies may not appear early in the illness, so your doctor may recommend repeat testing. Your doctor will combine these results with your symptoms, travel history, and other findings to confirm the diagnosis and plan treatment.

If the result is 'Detected' or 'Present', it means your body has produced antibodies to fight this parasite, suggesting you may have an active or recent infection. If the result is 'Not Detected', no antibodies were found, which could mean you are not infected, or the infection is too early to detect. Your healthcare provider will interpret these results along with your symptoms and other test findings.