Rat LungWorm Infection through Eating of Vegetables

ANGIOSTRONGYLUS MENINGITIS - USA (02): (HAWAII)
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A ProMED-mail post

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International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Sun 22 Mar 2009
Source: KPUA Hawaii News, Associated Press (AP) report [edited]



Rat lungworm patients recovering
--------------------------------
Two Big Island victims of a rare disease spread through homegrown
vegetables have emerged from their comas.

[The 38-year-old woman] has come out of the coma caused by rat
lungworm disease enough to respond to friends and her parents. She
has been hospitalized since 8 Dec 2008. [The 24-year-old man] is now
conscious and able to track people with his eyes. He was put in
intensive care in January [2009].

Both remain at Hilo Medical Center, where they are breathing with the
assistance of a machine. The disease is spread through vegetables
containing larvae of a slug that carries the rat lungworm. A 3rd
person who contracted rat lungworm disease has recovered enough to
walk and live at home.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Brent Barrett

[ProMED-mail thanks Brent Barrett for the follow up report on the 3
patients. The CDC fact sheet on angiostrongyliasis can be found at
or by clicking onto the title above;

The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Hawaii is available at
. - Mod.EP]

[see also:
Angiostrongylus meningitis - USA: (HI) 20090106.0046
2008
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Angiostrongylus meningitis - Ecuador: (Los Rios) 20081231.4123
2007
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Angiostrongylus meningitis - Brazil (ES) 20070414.1244
2000
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Eosinophilic meningitis - USA (Chicago) ex Jamaica (03) 20000508.0705
1998
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Angiostrongylus cantonensis - USA (LA & MS) 19981113.2193
Angiostrongyliasis & eosinophilic meningitis (03) 19980511.0928
1997
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Angiostrongylus costaricensis - Dominica (05) 19970619.1306]
...................................ep/mj/jw
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