Posted by For my STEAM project, I chose to research lungworms and the effects that they can have on the health of the respiratory system. The course objective I went off of was “Analyze the effects of disease on function and structure of the respiratory system.”
My art for this project is a clay model of the lungs with visible worms on the surface. The parasites appear as long strings in the lungs, so the pink lines on the surface of the lungs are representative of the rat lungworms in the human lungs. Though it is not accurate to what it actually looks like, it is just a model to help get a visual of the general idea.
I am primarily focusing on rat lungworms, as they affect humans, but will also be comparing them to lungworms that affect other animals. Lungworms can affect all types of animals, and the symptoms can vary based on which type of animal is infected. Lungworms occur in non-human animals, like bison, muskox, caribou, reindeer, and Dall sheep. Rat lungworms occur in humans, and it comes from primarily infected rats, but it can be carried in other species as well. (Alaska Department of Fish and Game)
Rat lungworm disease is rare, however it is prevalent in Hawaii and Australia. It can only infect people if they eat a contaminated object, like eggs on food, uncooked infected slugs, eggs in a water hose, etc. It is not infectious, meaning you cannot get it from another infected person (Disease Outbreak Control Division, Hawai’i Journal of Medicine & Public Health).
The symptoms for rat lungworms in humans include: headaches, neck pain/ stiffness, nausea and vomiting, a pins-and-needles feeling, vision changes, confusion, and sensitivity to light (Cleveland Clinic). These parasites start in the digestive tract and work their way up through the digestive system. When they find their way into the lungs, irritation and trouble breathing can happen. They then make their way into the heart, and therefore the bloodstream, and infect the central nervous system. This stage of infection is what causes the symptoms mentioned previously, as the rat lungworms need to make it to the brain in order to complete their life cycle and reproduce (Hawaii Island Rat Lungworm Working Group). In dogs, lungworms can cause pneumonia and other severe physical issues (VCA Animal Hospitals). In humans, rat lungworms may lead to long lasting health problems, but rarely cause pneumonia, and instead cause meningitis – which is infection and swelling of the fluids and membranes around the brain and spinal cord (Mayo Clinic). It is not likely for humans to die due to rat lungworms, and there have only been two confirmed deaths in Hawaii due to them (Hawai’i Journal of Medicine & Public Health).
There are two different forms of infection with this parasite: A. cantonensis and A. costaricensis. A. cantonensis can seem to be bacterial meningitis due to their similar symptoms, which can include nausea, vomiting, neck stiffness, and headaches. A. costaricensis does not appear to be any other infection or disease in terms of physical symptoms, but rather presents like pain, fever, nausea, and vomiting. A. cantonensis has a shorter incubation period than A. costaricensis, and both can be resolved spontaneously with no medical treatment involved. The A. cantonensis parasite cannot survive inside of the body for long, though it can rarely cause health complications, which can lead to neurological dysfunction or death. The A. costaricensis parasite can survive in the body, reproducing in the capillaries. Deaths have been reported from this parasite, and the illness it causes can recur over several months. (CDC)
As mentioned above, these infections can resolve themselves on their own. However, there is no specific treatment for them. The parasites have to die out on their own, some cases lasting longer than others. (CDC)
References:
“Angiostrongyliasis (Rat Lungworm).” Disease Outbreak Control Division, June 2023, health.hawaii.gov/docd/disease_listing/rat-lungworm-angiostrongyliasis/#:~:text=Anti%2Dparasitic%20drugs%2C%20such%20as,inflammation%20caused%20by%20dying%20worms. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
“A Field Guide To Common Wildlife Diseases and Parasites in Alaska.” Alaska Department of Fish and Game, www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=disease.internal5. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
Howe, Kathleen. “A Severe Case of Rat Lungworm Disease in Hawa’i.” Hawai’i Journal of Medicine & Public Health : A Journal of Asia Pacific Medicine & Public Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, June 2013, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3689490/. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
Inouye, Daniel K. “Angiostrongyliasis – Rat Lungworm Disease.” Hawaii Island Rat Lungworm Working Group, pharmacy.uhh.hawaii.edu/documents/rat-lungworm/10.Angiostrongyliasis_rat_lungworm_disease.pdf. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
“Meningitis.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 17 Oct. 2024, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/meningitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350508#:~:text=Meningitis%20is%20an%20infection%20and,fever%20and%20a%20stiff%20neck. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
“Rat Lung Worm Disease Fact Sheet.” Rat Lung Worm Disease Fact Sheet, 20 Mar. 2024, www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/rat-lung-worm.aspx#:~:text=People%20with%20this%20condition%20may,is%20usually%201%2D3%20weeks. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
“Rat Lungworm.” Cleveland Clinic, 19 Mar. 2025, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/25096-rat-lungworm. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
Rollins, Randi. Adult rat lungworms: male and female (candy cane color). 12 Dec. 2022. Hawaiʻi Public Radio, Zoe Dym, https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2022-12-12/rat-lungworm-disease-detection-made-easier-with-pcr-tests. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
“Treatment of Rat Lungworm.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/angiostrongylus/treatment/index.html#:~:text=There%20is%20no%20specific%20treatment,the%20parasite%20dies%20over%20time. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
Williams, Krista. “Lungworm Infections in Dogs: VCA Animal Hospitals.” Vca, 2021, vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/lungworm-infections-in-dogs#:~:text=After%20the%20larvae%20enter%20the%20slug%20or,capable%20of%20infecting%20dogs%20or%20other%20canids.&text=If%20the%20dog%20is%20showing%20signs%20of,Filaroides%20hirthi%20or%20Eucoleus%20aerophilus%20are%20present. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025
Rat lungworm is a parasite that primarily affects the central nervous system. You can get it from eating contaminated things with the parasite eggs on or in them. It is prevalent in Hawaii and Australia. You cannot be infected by other people. The symptoms are headaches, neck pain, nausea and vomiting. The parasites start in the digestive tract and work their way up to the lungs and then to the heart and into the bloodstream, and infect the central nervous system. In humans it can cause long lasting health problems such as meningitis, and rarely pneumonia. It is rare that people will die from rat lungworm but two deaths have happened from to it. There are two different forms of parasites. A. cantonensis can seem to be bacterial meningitis due to their similar symptoms. It has a shorter incubation period. A. cantonensis cannot survive in the body for long. A. costaricensis parasite can survive in the body by reducing in the capillaries. This is the parasite that has been reported to cause death but can be resolved.