Abstract: Objective  To investigated the intermediate hosts of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in three plateau lakes of Yunnan Province, and analyze the effect of temperature on A. cantonensis during 1991-2010.  Methods  An epidemiological investigation of angiostrongyliasis cantonensis in Erhai Lake, Fuxian Lake and Xingyun Lake was conducted from April to September in 2012. Snails were examined for the third stage larvae by enzyme digestion or lung examination. Rodents were captured in the fields, and their hearts and lungs were dissected for adult worms. The potential distribution of A. cantonensis and its main intermediate host Pomacea canaliculata were predicted based on degree-day models using GIS technique.  Results  A total of 4 950 snails were collected, belonging to 4 species, P. canaliculata, Cipangopaludina chinensis, Bellamya aeruginosa, and B. quadrata. 174 rodents were captured, belonging to 5 species. No positive samples were found. The potential distribution map showed that the distribution of A. cantonensis and P. canaliculata in Yunnan would expand with the rise of temperature, and with the passage of time they could complete one generation in the region which couldn’t finish one generation in one year along with time passing.  Conclusion  A. cantonensis are not found in the hosts. The natural environment and ecological system of the three lakes match the condition of A. cantonensis transmission.

Key words: Angiostrongylus cantonensis, Epidemiology, GIS, Plateau lake