Rat lungworm parasite discovered in Orange County

July 07--State health officials are urging residents to wash their hands and produce after a study discovered a potentially deadly parasite called the rat lungworm in Orange County.

There have been no reported infections in humans in the state, officials said. Typical symptoms include headaches, stiff neck, fever, vomiting and nausea. Rat lungworm can also cause meningitis, which can be fatal. However, in most cases, people recover fully without treatment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

University of Florida researchers, who revealed in May that they discovered the parasite in rats and snails in five Florida counties, said rat lungworm is likely in more areas because their study only took samples in 18 Florida counties.

"It's probably more widespread," said Heather Stockdale Walden, an assistant professor at the University of Florida who conducted the study. "This was just a quick sample."

For people to fall ill, they would need to eat a snail infected with the worm or come in contact with rat feces, according to the CDC. People who have eaten fruits and vegetables with contaminated snails or feces also have been known to get sick, officials said.

Health Department officials said people should clean produce before consuming it and be careful about snails or rats while working in their yards and gardens.

"When you're out and about in your yard or garden, use gloves,'' said Kent Donahue, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Health in Orange County.

The parasite lives primarily in rats but is often transferred to snails that come in contact with rat droppings. Pets can also be susceptible.

In Hawaii, the disease has been an issue for about 50 years, Walden said, and dozens have fallen ill after accidentally eating infected snails, likely hidden in leafy greens.

The UF study also cites a boy in Louisiana who became infected after ingesting a snail in 1993 and two children in Texas also became ill last year.

The study also blames the parasite on the death of a gibbon in 2003 at Zoo Miami, as well as a privately owned orangutan in South Florida in 2012. That orangutan liked to eat snails, Walden said.

Walden said she's also heard of dogs and birds eating the snails and becoming sick. The CDC said children have been infected after eating a snail "on a dare."

Researchers collected an array of rats, rat feces and snails in 18 counties throughout Florida, as they worked to figure out the boundaries of the infection.

The results revealed the worm is in more areas of the state than just South Florida, a university spokeswoman said.

Samples tested positive for rat lungworm in Orange, St. Johns, Alachua, Leon and Hillsborough counties.

Both native and non-native snail species tested positive for the parasite, the study shows. The CDC also said giant African land snails -- about the size of a human hand -- can also host the worm.

With Florida's rainy season dumping water across the state, more snails could be around.

"The snails I looked at ... need some type of moisture," Walden said. "You just have to think about where the snail population is.''

Health officials also said people should be careful not to eat raw or undercooked snails to avoid infection.

That shouldn't be a concern for patrons seeking escargot at Central Florida restaurants. Various area chefs and business owners said they weren't aware of any establishment that served local snails.

Winter Park market Lombardi's Seafood, which wholesales escargot, sells frozen snails imported from France, owner Mike Lombardi said.

While Orlando eatery Le Coq au Vin gets its produce, fish and pork locally, Chef and Owner Reimund Pitz says he imports snails to ensure he receives a quality product.

"I tend to stay with a reliable source," he said. "I'd be very nervous utilizing fresh snails from around here, to be honest with you."

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