Rat Lungworm

If you have any questions or concerns about rat lungworm infection, please contact the Director of the Hawaii Department of Health on Oahu: Phone: (808) 586-4410.

UH-CTAHR Extension Publications

• Best On-Farm Food Safety Practices:  Reducing Risks Associated with Rat Lungworm Infection  and Human Eosinophilic Meningitis by James R. Hollyer, Vanessa A. Troegner, Robert H. Cowie, Robert G. Hollingsworth, Lynn C. Nakamura-Tengan, Luisa F. Castro, and Arlene E. Buchholzhttp://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/FST-39.pdf
• Avoid Contracting Angiostrongyliasis (Rat Lungworm Infection):  Wash Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Before Eating! by Aurora A. Saulo  http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/FST-35.pdf

University of Hawaii at Hilo, College of Pharmacy

• Recording of the Rat Lungworm Forum held November 9, 2011 at the College of Pharmacy
• Map of Rat Lungworm Parasite Detection in Slugs & Snails on Hawaiʻi Island
• Rat Lungworm FAQ [This page holds responses to questions from the audience of the Rat Lungworm Forum held Nov 9, 2011 at the University of Hawaiʻi College of Pharmacy. Responses are provided by forum participants: Drs. Rob Cowie, Rob Hollingsworth, Jon Martell and Sue Jarvi, and Jim Hollyer, Ann Kobsa and Kay Howe, and Dr. Will Pitt.
• Overview
• Resources [Detection, Immunology, Symptoms, Treatments, Other]
  

News and Video Reports

• The Discovery Channel aired an episode of Monsters Inside of Me, which featured Rat Lungworm.   
  

• KITV news presentation on Rat Lungworm

• Kramer, M.J. 2006. Lettuce learn how to wash produce. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6104414.  Accessed February 25, 2009.

Public Health Announcement

• Hawaii Department of Health Press Release:  “Department of Health Advises Public to Wash Produce Thoroughly” (February 25, 2005).[pdf]
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website:  http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/DPDx/HTML/Angiostrongyliasis.htm
• Centers on Disease Control. September 14, 2008. Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection fact sheet. http://www.cdc.gov/NCIDOD/DPD/parasites/angiostrongylus/factsht_angiostrongylus.htm Accessed February 25, 2009.

Scientific Research Articles and Other Useful Extension Publications

• Alicata, 1964. Parasitic infections of man and animals in Hawaii. Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station, Technical Bulletin 61. http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/TB-61_extract.pdf.
• Asato R, Taira K, Nakamura M, Kudaka J, Itokazu K, Kawanaka M. Changing epidemiology of angiostrongyliasis cantonensis in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Jpn J Infect Dis 2004; 57:184-186.
• Cowie RH. Catalog and bibliography of the nonindigenous nonmarine snails and slugs of the Hawaiian Islands. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 1997;50:1-66.
• Crowe, K. et al. 2006. Best ways to wash fruits and vegetables.  University of Maine Cooperative Extension Bulletin 4336. http://extension.umaine.edu/publications/4336e/.  Accessed February 25, 2009.
• Hata, Trent Y., A. H. Hara, and B. K.-S. Hu.  1997.  Molluscicides and mechanical barriers against slugs, Vaginula plebeia Fischer and Veronicella cubensis (Pfeiffer) (Stylommatophora: Veronicellidae) Crop Protection 16(6):  501-506.  [pdf]
• Hochberg, N.S., S.Y. Park, B.G. Blackburn, J.J. Sejvar, K. Gaynor, H. Chung, K. Leniek, B.L. Herwaldt, and P.V. Effler. 2007. Distribution of eosinophilic meningitis cases attributed to Angiostrongylus cantonensis, Hawaii. Emerging Infectious Diseases 13(11): 1675–1680. [pdf]
• Hollingsworth RG, Cowie RH. Apple snails as disease vectors, pp. 121-132. In R. C. Joshi & L. S. Sebastian, Eds. Global Advances in Ecology and Management of Golden Apple Snails. Nueva Ecija: Philippine Rice Research Institute. 2006.
• Hollingsworth, R.G., R. Kaneta, J.J. Sullivan, H.S. Bishop, Y. Qvarnstrom, A.J. da Silva, and D.G. Robinson. 2007. Distribution of Parmarion cf. martensi (Pulmonata: Helicarionidae), a new semi-slug pest on Hawaii islands and its potential as a vector for human angiostrongyliasis. Pacific Science 61(4): 457–467. [pdf]
• Hollyer, J., L. Castro, A. Louie, L. Nakamura-Tengan, and V. Troegner. 2009. Pest management systems to control rodents in and around packing sheds. http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/FST-34.pdf.
• Kliks MM, Palumbo NE. Eosinophilic meningitis beyond the Pacific basin: the global dispersal of a peridomestic zoonosis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis, the nematode lungworm of rats. Soc Sci and Med 1992;34:199-212.
• Lindo, J.F., C. Waugh, J. Hall, C. Cunningham-Myrie, D. Ahsley, M.L. Eberhard, J.J. Sullivan, H.S. Bishop, D.G. Robinson, T. Holtz, and R.D. Robinson. 2002. Enzootic Angiostrongylus cantonensis in rats and snails after an outbreak of human ensinophilic meningitis, Jamaica. Emerging Infectious Diseases 8(3).
• Martin-Alonso A, Foronda P, Quispe-Ricalde MA, Feliu C, Valladares B. Seroprevalence of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in Wild Rodents from the Canary Islands. PLoS ONE 2011;6(11): e27747. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0027747
• Qvarnstrom, Y., J.J. Sullivan, H.S. Bishop, R. Hollingsworth, and A.J. da Silva. 2007. PCR-based detection of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in tissue and mucus secretions from molluscan hosts. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 73(5): 1415–1419.
• Schuder, I., G. Port, and J. Bennison.  2003.  Barriers, repellents and antifeedants for slug and snail control.  Crop Protection 22:  1033–1038. [pdf]
• Tummons, P. 2011. Rat Lungworm Disease: Has Arrival Of a New-to-Hawaii Snail Made It Worse? Environment Hawaii. 22(6): 11-12.
• Tsai, H-C., Y.-C. Liu, C.M. Kunin, S.S.-J. Lee, Y.-S. Chen, H.-H. Lin, T.-H. Tsai, W.-R. Lin, C-K. Huang, M.-Y. Yen, and C.-M. Yen.  2001.  Eosinophilic meningitis caused by Angiostrongylus Cantonensis: Report of 17 cases.  American Journal of Medicine 111:  109-114.  [pdf]
• Wallace GD, Rosen L. Studies on eosinophilic meningitis V. Molluscan hosts of Angiostrongylus cantonensis on Pacific Islands. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1969;18:206-216.
• Wang, Q.-P., D. Lai, X.-Q. Zhu, X.-G. Chen, and Z.-R. Lun. 2008. Human angiostrongyliasis. Lancet Infectious Diseases 2008(8): 621–630. [pdf] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18922484 . Accessed February 25, 2009.
• Wang QP, Wu ZD, Wei RL, Owen ZR, Lun ZR. Human Angiostrongylus cantononsis: an update. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2011;DOI 10.1007/s10096-0111328-5.
• Wu GH. Angiostrongylus cantonensis. In: Tang JQ ed Nature-borne diseases Science Press Beijing p 1182. 2006.