Additionally, caspase-2, as a member of the caspase family, which is involved in apoptosis (Li et al., 1997), was cleaved and activated in the rat parenchyma at 21 and 28 dpi and in the hippocampus at 14, 21, and 28 dpi (Figures 5, 6), which reveals that obvious apoptosis occurs upon infection with A. cantonensis. This evidence concerns the gene CASP2 and infection.