rat lungworm disease

Rat lungworm disease is caused by the rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis), a type of parasitic nematode that normally infests rats in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. When humans become infected, it can lead to eosinophilic meningitis, a condition characterized by an increase in eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, within the central nervous system. The life cycle of lungworms can involve intermediate hosts like snails and slugs, depending on the specific species. It is important to distinguish lungworms from lung flukes, which are different types of parasitic worms.1