Rat Lungworm Infections in Hawaii



Rat Lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis
(Big Island, Hawaii) An outbreak of rat lungworm infections is being reported in Hawaii. Rat lungworms are parasitic threadlike roundworms that cause a rare form of meningitis possibly leading to permanent nerve damage and death.

The parasites live in rats and are excreted in feces. Slugs, snails, fish and prawns are primary intermediate hosts which contaminate human foodstuffs with rat lungworm larvae. An important symptom of the infection is a severe headache produced when the wriggly little fellas eat their way around the brain.

Note that there has been a proliferation of the parasite in recent years due to "food consumption trends and global transportation of food products."