01-31-2015, 06:33 AM
I'm sorry to hear that you have first hand knowledge of RLW PM2. It sounds as if you have a good immune system if you were able to fight off the disease. I wish you continued improving, good health.
I just spoke with Dr. Susan Jarvi from the UH School of Pharmacy. She has been working on RLW for 3 years, and is doing her best to make progress with slow/low funding. They have produced a curriculum for 2nd graders "RLW Activity Book" and has started a pilot program in Hilo, with hopes of getting the info into all schools here. (Puna) She told me that the infected slugs, especially the "slime slugs" (the ones with the hump on the back) are on an increase here, (again, I'm speaking of Puna) and RLW cases have increased dramatically with them.
She recommends 5 micron filters and UV light system. The slugs live in stomach acid, so vinegar doesn't work and and hydrogen peroxide also has not yielded good results in killing the larva which can live 20-30 days outside the host body, even if it's dead. They just "vacate" the body and live on. They have measured 15-20 thousand larva per slug. Bleach does kill the slugs and larva, but it is not yet known how much or how often it should be added to water tanks to do the job. There is no diagnostic test in the US for RLW but Susan has attended conferences at Faculty Medical School in Thailand and China, which do have a test for antibodies in the blood. Apparently Thailand is more interested and concerned with this disease than our CDC and DOH are, however, in their defense the DOH Epidemiologist I spoke with yesterday in Kona is very concerned and helpful in giving me info and referrals. A 15% solution of Hawaiian salt (1 1/8 cup to 1/2 gal. water) in a wide mouth jar can be used to kill any slugs you find, but designated tongs or chopsticks should be used to grab the little suckers.
I just spoke with Dr. Susan Jarvi from the UH School of Pharmacy. She has been working on RLW for 3 years, and is doing her best to make progress with slow/low funding. They have produced a curriculum for 2nd graders "RLW Activity Book" and has started a pilot program in Hilo, with hopes of getting the info into all schools here. (Puna) She told me that the infected slugs, especially the "slime slugs" (the ones with the hump on the back) are on an increase here, (again, I'm speaking of Puna) and RLW cases have increased dramatically with them.
She recommends 5 micron filters and UV light system. The slugs live in stomach acid, so vinegar doesn't work and and hydrogen peroxide also has not yielded good results in killing the larva which can live 20-30 days outside the host body, even if it's dead. They just "vacate" the body and live on. They have measured 15-20 thousand larva per slug. Bleach does kill the slugs and larva, but it is not yet known how much or how often it should be added to water tanks to do the job. There is no diagnostic test in the US for RLW but Susan has attended conferences at Faculty Medical School in Thailand and China, which do have a test for antibodies in the blood. Apparently Thailand is more interested and concerned with this disease than our CDC and DOH are, however, in their defense the DOH Epidemiologist I spoke with yesterday in Kona is very concerned and helpful in giving me info and referrals. A 15% solution of Hawaiian salt (1 1/8 cup to 1/2 gal. water) in a wide mouth jar can be used to kill any slugs you find, but designated tongs or chopsticks should be used to grab the little suckers.