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Rat Lungworm DiseaseAngiostrongylus cantonensis - Eosinophilic Meningitis
Wailuku

Parasites are being coming more prevalent everywhere.  One of them is the rat lungworm in Hawaii. The Hawaiian version of lungworm (introduced from a Southeast Asian slug) does effect the CNS in some people. 

Called WAILUKU, the disease arises from parasitic worms, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, sometimes ingested inadvertently by eating raw produce that contains a small snail or slug. The parasite can also be left on veggies in the slime trail.  Other ways of getting infected can include eating raw or undercooked freshwater prawns, crabs or frogs. Fish do not spread this parasite. .It is not passed from one person to another person. The asian slug is particularly problematic and crawls into people's drinks and into their houses. 

The worms migrate through the human body and usually die after several weeks.  Most people recover fully without treatment.  But sometimes the larvae migrate into cerebral fluid, causing inflammation in the brain and spinal cord membrane and a form of meningitis, according to a study by the state and CDC published in 2007.  In some cases, rat lungworm disease can cause significant pain and trauma, including paralysis, blindness and death, as occurred in a fatal case in Taiwan in 1944, according to the study.

Patients usually became sick in three days, but one took as long as 48 days.  

Symptoms:  Some people do not have any symptoms or have mild symptoms, while others have headache, stiff neck, tingling or painful feelings in the skin, low-grade fever, nausea and vomiting.  Pain can be  so intense that even the slightest touch hurts.  At least half the folks  talked to that have gotten it, said they honestly felt like they were going to die. 

To avoid infection: Do not eat raw or undercooked snails or slugs, and thoroughly wash produce that might have them, especially home-grown produce such as lettuce. If you handle snails or slugs, wear gloves and wash your hands.

Treatment: People usually do not require treatment. The parasite dies over time even without treatment. Even people who develop meningitis usually do not need antibiotics. Sometimes the symptoms of the infection last for several weeks or months while the body's immune system responds to the dying parasites. The most common types of treatment are for the symptoms of the infection (such as pain medication for headache) rather than for the infection itself.   The side effects of the infection needs to be treated according to what the side effect is. 

Results of the infection:    The infection can create nerve damage in the form of neuropathy.   The symptoms of this is pain, tingling and numbness if the peripheral nerves are involved, unbalance if the motor nerves are involved, problems with vision if the optic nerves are involved. 

For more information go to http://www.ratlungwormhawaii.org/ 

What to do?

Nerve Damage is also called Neuropathy.    The Nerve Support Formula was originally created for the nerve damage that often accompanies diabetes - diabetic neuropathy.  Through the 5 years this product has been available, it has been found the the cause of the damage doesn't matter, that the damage is the same and that this formula will give relief to the symptoms of this damage. 

You can read about the Nerve Support Formula

For a Testimonial About using the Nerve Support Formula for Rat Lungworm 

For more information about Peripheral Neuropathy and how to get relief go to Neuropathy 

 





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