02-26-2017, 10:36 AM
quote:
Originally posted by MarkP
What does water catchment have to do with rat lungworm? There is very little overlap.
Because rats are the hosts and rats go on roofs, and catchment comes from roofs. Direct correlation.
The other vector, of course, are the snails. They eat the rat poop and then they are carriers as well. The snails with the tiny shells (so-called "semislugs" - the ones w/the tiny shells about the size of a human fingernail) are most dangerous, says this article (http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/loc...m-parasite) bc they travel faster than the other snails. i.e., they have contact with more rat poop and travel farther, spreading the disease farther.
The group studying the vector animals would like samples from Puna residents: "If the semi-slug appears on your property and you would be willing to allow researchers to collect specimens for a scientific study, contact Robert Hollingsworth at 959-4349 or robert.hollingsworth@ars.usda.gov."
I have acquaintance who has the disease. He cannot even have a sheet across him at night bc of the pain.
Here's a good concise article on the disease: http://www.malamaopuna.org/ratlung/needtoknow.php