Article about man w/rat lung disease from B.I.

[glinda]

Rat Lungworm has peaked... it cant get worse

Wow, good to know. But hey, you follow that up with a reference to Hilo, so one has to wonder what you are referring to? Where has it peaked? And, what does "peaked" mean?

[terracore]

"canine incidence of RLW infection"

Dogs, especially outside dogs here "should" be treated for heartworm. Ivermectin has been used to treat RLW in people, and besides heart worms it kills common types of lungworms known to infect dogs. I wonder if dogs that get regular heartworm medicine are also getting treated for RLW?

[eigoya]

After gardening and possibly getting slimed, I began to worry and search for info. I read on another forum that horse worm pills could be taken as a emergency Prophylactic for humans (1/4 strength???). Curious, I found some research. This article from Australia summarizes,”Preventive treatment with a prescription medication (albendazole) may be considered in cases where there has been a witness ingestion of any part of a snail or slug within the last 7 days. Discuss this with your general practitioner who will refer to local health department guide” There appeared few side effects in the papers I read so I took one of my dogs’ Pills. Except for barking a couple of days, I was fine....
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious...-worm.asps

[Carey]

Glinda, there is absolutely no data to back that RLW has peaked here...

Terracore, many dogs here are not on a heart worm regiment, and so are at risk...
Again, in other countries that have RLW, the incidence of infection is limited to a very few people, because many 3rd world countries people routinely also get prophylactic helminth medication...

Eigoya, the problem on island (esp in Hilo) is actually having a physician that will prescribe the albendazole.... there has been a case, just this year, where a person had bitten into a slug bit that was in a salad, was able to have the slug bit tested at the UH lab & found to have a high nematode load, but was not able to get a prescription from the attending Hilo Hospital physician, as there is no US protocol for albendazole as a RLW prophylactic....

[eigoya]

Carey, it is one of the active ingredients in the pet med. of course, one should not take pet medicine, but when the option is potential RLW.....any thoughts? I will try and find the papers I read. It wasn't the one above, but I haven't been able to locate it.....

[Carey]

Here is the NSW Childrens Hospital protocol (with well researched & vetted support papers listed), which is based on the NSW Health protocols you linked:
http://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/_polic...18-163.pdf
Again, without US protocol for RLW infective treatment, physicians dealing with patients are pretty much left hanging in the wind....
I would speculate that if you are in a high RLW infective risk group, an option may be to travel to (or contact a friend in) one of the countries that sells Albendazole over the counter in order to have an available prophylactic if needed, within 7 days of known exposure... but I am not a medical professional & of course, would never want to actually advise someone to do this....
If only we had better information from our medical professionals...

[eigoya]

As long as it primarily remains on BI, I am afraid it will never rise to important issue to consider innovative, or even other, treatment...

[rainyjim]

quote:

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Originally posted by Carey

...a sobering reminder of the extent this disease can affect ones mind...

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At risk of making levity in a serious situation, in all seriousness, wow maybe we just hit on what’s going on in the ‘protectors’ mind.

I seriously suggest you guys get tested (Bananaheads, Glinda, Elysianwort

[Carey]

eigoya, actually RLW was far more prevalent on Oahu prior to the 2000`s...

Maui cases in 2017 alone doubled to 6, from the previous total cases over almost a decade of 3 cases:
https://edmdigest.com/news/brain-invadin...rm-hawaii/

& a summary of research study that highlights it is likely to expand in distribution range:
https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2018/07/10/r...tribution/

PS, in the last few years, mainland mammals, esp canine, have tested positive, throughout the southern & SW states... so this is not an something that is "just here"

[eigoya]

Yes, I have an old student who worked in Jarvi's lab,so kept somewhat abreast... Did they have a more active response in early 2000s Oahu, or was it far enough away from Waikiki to not raise concerns? After coqui, dengue and ants, I can't help thinking BI is forever the red headed stepchild of HI....