A parasitic worm usually seen in rats, the Angiostrongylus Cantonensis, is spreading in the southeastern United States. In severe cases, this worm can lead to coma or even death in humans and can also infect pets. Researchers from Texas A&M, Zoo Atlanta, and Mississippi State University recently published a study in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, warning that this microscopic rat lungworm poses a threat across a broad region in the southeastern U.S.
The parasite can trigger dangerous brain encephalitis in both humans and their pets. Examination of tissue samples from 33 wild brown rats discovered dead on the premises of a zoological facility in Atlanta from 2019 to 2022 revealed that over a fourth of the rodents had larvae resembling worms in their tissues.
While the parasitic worm is typically found in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, including Hawaii, it has recently been identified in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and most recently in Georgia. This parasite is spread through rat feces and can infect humans and other animals through produce or other food items.
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