rat lungworm "campaign"

[MarkD]

HOTPE, Do not really disagree with your points. Was a combination of yours and the prior post. Kind of a tenor thing.

Added: And I recall our organic farm debate. Are your broadening your perspective on the seriousness of RL? Just asking....

[TomK]

"He doesn't post much anymore and still he gets grief. (residual anger?)"

I reply to posts depending on what was written in the post, not who posted it.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

our organic farm debate. Are your broadening your perspective on the seriousness of RL?

I have always taken rat lungworm seriously.

However, I think some comments about its ability to spread in ports or loading areas, across large areas of pavement are exaggerated, and some suggestions, such as a sweeping judgement that organic farms are a breeding ground for vermin, without consideration as to the the type of crop grown or specific methods of the individual farmer could more accurately be appraised on a case by case basis.

Four people are in a room and seven leave. How many have to enter again before it's empty?

[MarkD]

such as a sweeping judgement that organic farms are a breeding ground for vermin

Not what I said. I stated that organic farms are more hospitable to rodents than non-organic farms, generally speaking. Hence the potential for a higher prevalence of RL.

[ElysianWort]

What do you guys think about adding bleach to your catchment tanks? Pretty sure that should take care of the RLW. Hmm, I wonder if the food-grade H2O2 or the saline treatment would kill the parasite too?
Heck I probably already got the disease, didn't notice it or thought it was a cold or flu at some point. Also wonder if us healthier hearty puna people have any immunities built up?

[MarkP]

Interesting question: At what size does your immune system no longer have any clout over an infectious agent? I am pretty sure that your immune system has no power over a leech for example or a tapeworm for another.

Hard to believe that tiny RLWs would just shrug off bleach but I recall reading in these pages that bleach is not effective against them. UV sterilization is also not effective I hear. If I have it right UV sterilizes germs but does not kill them. In the case of tiny germs with a lifespan measured in hours that's as good as any strategy. The RLWs can live a long time and cover a lot of territory and cause a lot of trouble before they die though. Sterilization is not even an issue for them because they don't reproduce in humans anyway.

Time to feel all superior about my Sawyer Point One .1 micron filter now.

[ElysianWort]

If that's all true Mark, then that's even more scary. However I don't believe that bleach doesn't kill em though. It kills everything! Just depends on the concentration added. What does the county put in the water out of the spigot near Kurtistown and Nanawale that they label as springwater? Isn't it chlorinated? Like chlorine bleach?

[kalakoa]

Rat Lungworm is now an actual problem!

http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/news/stat...n-parasite

People can avoid it by not eating raw snails or slugs and by properly washing produce.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

A case of rat lungworm has been diagnosed on Oahu. It appears the patient was infected on Oahu. Looks like the campaign might have to switch into high gear now, maybe not just education, but prevention since it now has the potential to affect legislators and tourists.

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/36102...spitalized

Moonless, this June night is all the more alive with stars. It's darkness is perfumed with faint gusts from the blossoming lime trees, with the smell of wetted earth and the invisible greenness of the vines. -Music At Night, Aldous Huxley

[MarkP]

The parasites are not killed by bleach, salt, or H2O2 on produce because they are inside the slugs. The slugs may be killed but not the parasite. I don't know about free floating parasites in water. Seems like if bleach would kill a slug it would kill a free floating worm given sufficient exposure. However the concentration of bleach or H2O2 used to wash produce would probably be 100 times what you would ever want in your catchment tank given that you might be drinking it.