Public invited to attend informational meeting about rat lungworm disease in North Kohala
Public invited to attend informational meeting about
rat lungworm disease in North Kohala on Hawai‘i Island
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is hosting an informational meeting
about rat lungworm disease on Monday, April 22, 2019, at the North Kohala Public Library (54-
3645 Akoni Pule Hwy, Kapa‘au) from 6 – 7:30 p.m. Those interested in learning more about
angiostrongyliasis, commonly known as rat lungworm disease, and how to prevent its spread
are encouraged to attend.
DOH public health experts are bringing together local partners to educate attendees about key
information they should know to protect themselves from rat lungworm disease. Partners will
offer presentations as follows:
• Hawai‘i Department of Health: Disease information and prevention
• Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA): Pest control for growers and gardeners
• University of Hawai‘i (UH) at Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy: Update on
research efforts
• Big Island Invasive Species Committee: Recent semi-slug findings
• Governor’s Joint Task Force on Rat Lungworm Disease/UH-John A. Burns School of
Medicine: Preliminary clinical guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of
angiostrongyliasis
So far in 2019, there have been two confirmed cases of rat lungworm disease. Both individuals
are Hawai‘i County residents and one of them is from the North Kohala area. The Big Island
Invasive Species Committee announced earlier this year that Kohala Middle School students
recently confirmed the presence of Parmarion martensi, commonly known as the semi-slug, as
part of a citizen science program developed by UH Hilo’s Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy
and supported by DOH. Semi-slugs are invasive to Hawai‘i and very effective carriers of the
parasite that causes rat lungworm disease: Angiostrongylus cantonensis (A. cantonensis).
For the latest updates about the upcoming informational meeting, visit the Hawai‘i Public State
Library System website at https://www.librarieshawaii.org/event/public-health-presentation-ratlungworm-disease/. All programs are subject to change and space at the venue is limited. If you
require an auxiliary aid or accommodation due to a disability, please contact the library before
the program date at (808) 889-6655.
DOH provides the following recommendations to prevent rat lungworm disease:
• Wash all fruits and vegetables under clean, running water to remove any tiny slugs or
snails. Pay close attention to leafy greens.
• Inspect, wash and store produce in sealed containers, regardless of whether it came
from a local retailer, farmer’s market, or backyard garden.
• Control snail, slug, and rat populations around homes, gardens and farms. Get rid of
these vectors safely by clearing debris where they might live, and also using traps and
baits. Always wear gloves for safety when working outdoors.
For more information about rat lungworm disease and how to prevent its spread, visit:
• DOH website: http://health.hawaii.gov/docd/disease_listing/rat-lungwormangiostrongyliasis/
• HDOA website: http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/blog/main/rat-lungworm-information/
• CTAHR website: http://manoa.hawaii.edu/ctahr/farmfoodsafety/rat-lungworm/
• CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/angiostrongylus/index.html
Angiostrongyliasis, commonly known as rat lungworm disease, is caused by a parasitic
roundworm and can have debilitating effects on an infected person’s brain and spinal cord. In
Hawai‘i, most people become ill by accidentally ingesting a snail or slug infected with the
parasite Angiostrongylus cantonensis (A. cantonensis). Symptoms vary widely between cases,
and the most common ones include severe headaches and neck stiffness. The most serious
cases experience neurological problems, severe pain and long-term disability.
