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+--- Thread: New UH Rat Lungworm Study (/showthread.php?tid=22196)
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New UH Rat Lungworm Study - HereOnThePrimalEdge - 02-27-2021
Here’s the latest study for rat lungworm. Unfortunately a rainy climate with plenty of vegetation is the ideal environment. We probably already guessed that, but the research does provide details about which snail species are more likely to host the parasite:
“The snail’s capacity to transmit rat lungworm depends on the environment and the host species, as human infection mainly occurs after ingestion of infected snails,” said Rollins.
In general, snails from rainy, cool, green sites have higher infection levels than snails from dry, hot sites with less green vegetation. However, rat lungworm prevalence does not increase at the same rate in conjunction with the environment in all snail species. Some species, such as Veronicella cubensis, large brown slugs commonly seen after rain, have very low infection levels in both hot and dry regions and wet and heavily vegetated areas. On the other hand, rat lungworm is more prevalent in giant African snails from wet, cool areas than in hot and dry regions.[img=250x0]https://www.hawaii.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/manoa-soest-rat-lungworm-snails-2.jpg[/img]
RE: New UH Rat Lungworm Study - terracore - 02-27-2021
https://pharmacy.uhh.hawaii.edu/rat-lungworm-frequently-asked-questions
"Q. IS THERE ANY KIND OF IMMUNITY AGAINST RLW IF YOU’VE BEEN INFECTED PREVIOUSLY?
People have reported getting this disease two and three times or more on Hawaiʻi Island. This implies a lack of long-lasting immunity. However, a vaccine against A. costarisensis has been shown to be effective in mice and funding has been obtained by the Rat Lungworm Working Group to test this vaccine against A. cantonensis in wild Hawaiian rats (Rattus rattus). We are providing two recently published general reviews on immunity to helminthes as well as a reference to the vaccine."
So there is a simple, off-the-shelf solution. All we need to do is gather up all the rats on the big island and immunize them.
RE: New UH Rat Lungworm Study - HereOnThePrimalEdge - 02-27-2021
... gather up all the rats on the big island and immunize them.
What do you think, essential rodents & any over 75 first?
RE: New UH Rat Lungworm Study - Durian Fiend - 02-27-2021
Don't be afraid of this Chinese parasite. You'll be fine with it, just go to work and carry on please.
My habit was to leave the durian cutting knife outside on a deck for days on end until one night while searching for an obnoxiously encroaching tree frog I noticed multiple semi slugs crawling on the knife. It was just like the Colonel Kurtz quote in "Apocalypse Now". Snails crawling over a straight razor-nightmarish!
RE: New UH Rat Lungworm Study - ChunksterK - 02-27-2021
(02-27-2021, 02:56 AM)HereOnThePrimalEdge Wrote: ... gather up all the rats on the big island and immunize them.
What do you think, essential rodents & any over 75 first?
It's long established Hawaii policy that rats working for government agencies go to the head of the line.
RE: New UH Rat Lungworm Study - HereOnThePrimalEdge - 02-28-2021
New rat lungworm infection reported in Puna:
Abigail said the doctor thinks Zander may have contracted the disease from the water catchment system at the home they’re renting in Keaau.
...
Jarvi said there have been cases where people have gotten infected drinking out of a water hose from the catchment tank, from a filter that has not been changed recently or a catchment tank that is not maintained.
“We tested actually only five filters which is a small sample size, but it was enough to indicate that you know, not all filters, block 100% Rat Lungworm larva,” said Jarvi. “Even though the filter size is smaller than the larva, you know, so you wouldn’t think it would go through.”
Doctor Jarvi recommends the homes to have multiple UV water filters for water coming into the home from catchment tanks.
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2021/02/28/after-alarming-symptoms-big-island-teen-is-diagnosed-with-rat-lungworm-disease/
RE: New UH Rat Lungworm Study - eightfingers2.0 - 02-28-2021
Didn’t say what the filter size (5 microns, etc) was.
RE: New UH Rat Lungworm Study - 1voyager1 - 02-28-2021
As near as I can find out, UV filter systems are of little to no help in controlling RLW.
UV at the levels it is used for whole house water sterilization has little to no effect on nematodes.
They can can control bacterial and viral water contaminants, though.
RE: New UH Rat Lungworm Study - ChunksterK - 02-28-2021
(02-28-2021, 07:57 AM)eightfingers2.0 Wrote: Didn’t say what the filter size (5 microns, etc) was.Yes, you'd think they might mention that rather important bit of info. Does anyone know what filters, if any, are effective?
RE: New UH Rat Lungworm Study - HereOnThePrimalEdge - 02-28-2021
Does anyone know what filters, if any, are effective?
The UHH Pharmacy Rat Lungworm FAQ offers this mixed messages recommendation about filter sizes:
IN 2010? WHO GATHERED THE DATA? WOULD YOU MENTION (FOR CATCHMENT USERS) THAT A 20 MICRON SEDIMENT FILTER WILL BLOCK THE 3RD INSTAR?
This data was collected by the Hawaiʻi State Dept. of Health. Most cases were from the island of Hawaiʻi.
The CDC suggests that a 20 micron filter would probably be adequate. However, the 20 micron size pressure will only flatten the larvae against the filter, making them wider, which could still allow them to stretch out thin and get through when there was no pressure being exerted. Use of at least a 15 micron filter is preferred.
If chlorine is being used as water treatment, then one should also be using a 1-micron filter anyway for protozoa. If using a UV system, then it is recommended to filter down to a 5 micron plus have the UV rated to inactivate nematodes. (Class A). A 20-micron filter alone is really just a sediment filter and not adequate treatment for anything else.
Reference: Patricia Macomber, MPH, CTAHR/University of Hawaiʻi. Komohana Research and Extension Center.
https://pharmacy.uhh.hawaii.edu/rat-lungworm-frequently-asked-questions