Howdy! 

My name is Anna Schmieding, and I am a student in the Texas A&M University DVM Class of 2028. I was a fellow in the Veterinary Medical Scientist Research Training Program (VMSRTP) during the summer of 2025 and had the opportunity to study the seasonal prevalence of Angiostrongylus cantonensis, commonly known as the Rat Lungworm, in rats from a zoo in Houston.  

A. cantonensis is a zoonotic, parasitic nematode that is the most common cause of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in humans worldwide. This parasite has historically been found in Asia and the Pacific Islands but within the last 30 years has been identified in North America. In fact, the Gulf Coast region is now considered endemic for A. cantonensis! Rats are the definitive host of this nematode and can be dissected to isolate adult worms from their cardiopulmonary systems. Nonetheless, a variety of accidental hosts can experience mild to severe neurologic symptoms and even death due to this parasite. 

My work was a continuation of the project that Dani Sierra, a 2026 DVM candidate, began last year through the VMSRTP.  I necropsied approximately 100 rats this summer to determine infection status of the rodents that were sent to us. Most of my work was on the rats from Houston, but I had the opportunity to necropsy rats from a few other zoos across the United States as well. By researching the seasonal prevalence of the parasite, we hope to better understand the epidemiology of A. cantonensis and contribute to future research on preventive strategies which will save human and animal lives in the future! 

We hope to submit my findings from this project for publication in the next few months. Though the VMSRTP has concluded, I am going to continue my research and have officially joined the Verocai Parasitology Lab team as a student worker!