Rat lungworm has a ground zero, Puna.

[Kenney]

Glassnumbers, thanks for your opinion.
"no research that I know of , "maybe you could wait". "It's Probably better". "I think you should be fine."

Without research into RLW, your maybe, probably and I think just doesn't assure me that you have any idea of what you're talking about.

Brining our produce "for several days" is not the answer. Washing is.

[kalakoa]

Brining our produce "for several days" is not the answer.

Canned produce from Walmart is free of parasites. Less tasty, but there's your trade-off.

[Carey]

With the low research that has been available for Rat Lung Studies, there are very few DEFINITIVE research answers. Here are the ones that I have been able to glean from the research I have read

RLW cases have been traced to origin on three islands now: , Maui, Oahu & Hawaii Island
Mollusks that have infectious loads of Rat Lung have been found in EVERY COUNTY OF OUR STATE
Rats & parrots have both been shown to be hosts, there are now research questions on what other avian & mama sources COULD BE hosts
A wide variety of native & non-native mollusks have been found to carry RLW, including native partial, freshwater ophihi & there are now research questions on wether RLW could be found in brackish to saltwater mollusks, again, not enough research to state
Slime trails & minute bits of mollusks have both been shown to have high infectious loads of RLW
Cleaning produce...you would THINK that has had sufficient research to answer... the research at UH that I know & have eaten with, that are doing the studies, all will only eat Hawaii produce that has been peeled or cooked, because they are not positive there has been sufficient research to advice a safe cleaning method...


ETA: Produce from other sources CAN BE INFECTED, if the produce is allowed to come into contact with slugs/snails....or in contact with active infected trails

This could occur in transport, or at the vendors, even at your house... (fruit, or the fruit in boxes/ bags left in contact with the ground, or near an area that slugs/snails travel...including over outside tables & benches at night

[nanasohana]

Here is an article from CDC about ratlung https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/21/7/14-1980_article and was surprised to find this " Moreover, rat lungworms were identified outside their known habitat and in a new rat host species (S. hispidus) in Oklahoma, an area predicted to lack suitable habitat for the parasite (9). Our results provide a new perspective on the distribution of rat lungworms in the United States and indicate a northward range expansion that substantially increases the risk for disease spread within humans and wildlife."

[sistersue]

Does anyone know if the studies show this: If we buy only fruits and vegetables that are shipped in from the mainland, can they become infected after they get here?

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

fruits and vegetables that are shipped in from the mainland... can they become infected after they get here?

Most mainland fruits and vegies are shipped already packaged, boxed and loaded into metal shipping containers. They would then be transferred at the harbor or airport to a truck for distribution to a warehouse or store. Generally the pallets, forklifts, trucks, storage rooms, reefers, etc would not house any slugs - - however if the warehouse or grocery also buys local vegetables or fruits stored in the same room, it's POSSIBLE slugs could crawl from one box to another. Not likely though.

You could never convince a monkey to give you a banana by promising him limitless bananas after death in monkey heaven.

[Carey]

HOTP...all depends on storage!!!! very likely if produce is stored in area that have had snails/slugs Even if the ONLY research you had done was reading the RLW posts on Punaweb you should have learned,..they can travel up on benches & tables, & HAVE BEEN FOUND IN SOME PEOPLES KITCHENS!!!

Produce from other sources CAN BE INFECTED, if the produce is allowed to come into contact with slugs/snails....or in contact with active infected trails

This could occur in transport, or at the vendors, even at your house... Fruit, or the fruit in boxes/ bags left in contact with the ground, or near an area that slugs/snails travel...including over outside tables & benches at night & in side, if snail/slugs have had access...

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

all depends on storage!!!!

Yes.
I'm quite familiar with growing, packaging, shipping, and transporting food products. As well as dealing with slugs and snails and their capabilities in crawling, climbing, etc.

Let's assume produce arrives in Hawaii from the mainland slug and snail free.

* Does the harbor or airport have slugs? Both could, but with the large paved areas and small amount of soil it's not likely. But, yes, it's possible a slug could fall off a truck that drove into the area. In general however, neither of those places are likely as slug habitat, and if one does show up, it wouldn't live very long.

* Next, transport. Can a truck have slugs on it, perhaps from a previous load of cargo? Yes it's possible. How likely? Depends on the previous cargo. Most transport trucks however tend to carry the same type of cargo repeatedly, so it would be unlikely they would carry a load of slug infested green waste right before they pick up vegetables at the harbor. It's possible, though unlikely.

* Storage facility and docks at warehouse or grocery. Again, they are generally large paved areas with limited soil in the loading unloading areas. Produce storage rooms in Hawaii are mostly concrete or metal. Slugs could enter on the boots of workers, delivery people, boxes, etc. But not likely.

It is possible to find slugs along the food distribution network, just as tarantulas have been discovered in boxes of bananas, but the prospect of fear is greater than the actual number of tarantulas or slugs likely to be encountered. The evidence can be seen when you bring home produce. I have never found a slug in my produce purchased at a grocery store in Hilo. Has anyone else?

I hope this thread doesn't devolve into an ebola fear mongering we're-all-going-to-die diatribe. As you suggested Carey, "Even if the ONLY research you had done was reading the RLW posts on Punaweb you should have learned,.." - - and what I have learned is that we just don't know. The research has not been done. That is why the appropriation to study the issue has been passed. In the meantime, what we do know is that slugs can be seen occasionally in many places, but not everywhere. They can be found on locally grown produce, but not imported produce (unless someone can point me to a news report stating otherwise).

The argument "anything is possible" isn't proof that something is currently taking place.

You could never convince a monkey to give you a banana by promising him limitless bananas after death in monkey heaven.

[randomq]

Most of the horror cases I've heard about have involved ingesting whole slugs or snails. Bad but survivable cases from slime trails. Hell, we all could have a few worms in our brains and never worms in our brains and never worms in our brains and never worms in our brains and never realize it.

Just take a few minutes to look over your produce as you pick and prepare it. I look over every piece of lettuce as I make a salad, just in case. It would be helpful if there were pictures of slugs, snails, or trails on fruit and vegetables, so people would know exactly what to look for.

[Guest]

I remember a few cases Back in the late 90's with folks from lower Puna (Kapoho, Nanavale, Wa Wa, ect) would go to their Dr's with symptoms that are now similar to Rat lung-worm symptoms. The Dr's would usually say it looks like a case or symptoms of Bells palsy, (half of face droopy, severe pain everywhere, high fever, ect).

http://www.webmd.com/brain/tc/bells-pals...overview#1

I have unfortunately seen and found both slugs and rats in several water catchments in lower Puna over the years. The slugs and rats I have seen were dead at the time but the eggs and parasites (eels) "may" live on in the water catchments for day's or weeks. What's scary to me is, I am not sure if bleach, peroxides or filters kill or detour these RLWorm parasites from some folks water that they may be brushing their teeth or washing their produce with.

This article states the RLWorm parasites can live in water for up to 56 days.

http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/loc...nces-video

Editing to Add one more link here.

http://mauiinvasive.org/2016/06/21/rat-l...m-disease/