Rat lungworm disease nearly claims the life of young girl in Hawaii – as her mom reveals she feared the toddler would never walk or smile again

The mother of a young girl in Hawaii who nearly died from rat lungworm disease is speaking out to raise awareness about the rare parasitic infection.

Emily Faith Kubowski's daughter Elowen first started showing symptoms last December, and the disease worsened to the point that her doctors feared she might not survive.

'They were pretty sure she might never use her legs or smile again. And now she's like a miracle,” Kubowski shared KHNL TV in a recent interview.

Hawaii is the U.S. epicenter for lungworm infections in rats, a rare disease found mostly in tropical Asian countries such as Thailand and the Pacific Islands.

Kubowski believes her daughter may have been infected with the parasite, which spreads by ingesting small slugs and crawling on the ground in Puna on the Big Island, where his family lives.

“She most likely crawled over something, had the parasite on her hand and then brought it into her mouth, the way little children always move things from the floor to their mouths,” the mother said.

Elowen's initial symptoms included restlessness, before she stopped using her legs, had difficulty swallowing and fell asleep unexpectedly and repeatedly.

The doctors were baffled, but the mother believed she knew the cause of the disease.

“I told everyone I think it's rat lungworm because I've known adults who have had it,” she said.

“The initial spinal tap came back negative for signs of it, even the white blood cell count that would indicate a parasitic infection,” Kubowski said. 'But her second spinal puncture showed that there were parasites swimming in her spinal fluid with the naked eye.'

Elowen was in the hospital for months, but passed away last spring after intensive treatment.

Now her mother is calling on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to raise awareness of the risks of the parasite, and she hopes health care providers in Hawaii will be alert to possible cases.

“I feel like if our health care providers, especially in East Hawaii on the Big Island, were better trained and had more resources available, these types of cases wouldn't get through,” she said.

Known in the scientific community as angiostrongyliasis, rat lungworm can wreak havoc on the human digestive and nervous systems, even causing paralysis.

Lungworm disease in rats is caused by a parasite carried by rats that secretes larvae that snails or slugs ingest.

People then consciously or unconsciously eat the slugs and snails that often hide in unwashed products.

Researchers believe most cases are caused by an invasive creature that is half snail and half slug – called the semi-slug – that climbs quickly and can easily get into sinks and water tanks.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most cases of lungworm disease in rats occur in tropical Asian countries, such as Thailand and the Pacific Islands.

It is very rarely reported in the continental US.

“Cases of lungworm in rats have been identified in Hawaii as early as 1959, so it is not new to the islands,” said the study, published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

However, Hawaii only began requiring cases to be reported to the state's Department of Health in 2007.

Of the 82 reported cases, 51 were confirmed, while the remaining 31 were 'probable'.

Ten cases were reported in 2018 and five in 2019, but these were not included in the study.

Researchers found that the majority of infected people said they sometimes ate unwashed produce, and at least half said they stored food in unlocked containers.

Children under the age of 10 were more likely to experience symptoms such as fever and vomiting, while adults experienced headaches, joint pain, muscle aches and a stiff neck.

In most cases, the infection clears up without treatment after the parasite dies, according to the CDC.

However, the researchers reported that 65 of the cases resulted in hospitalization and two people died.

A number of potential sources were noted in the study, including the Cuban slug, the African giant snail and the marsh snail.

But the team believes the invasive semi-snail could be behind the majority of cases, as they are fast climbers and can easily get into water tanks or hide in fruit.

Lead study author David Johnston, an epidemiologist with the Hawaii State Department of Health, says the overall risk to humans is low and it is important to raise awareness about the disease.

“As we continue to advance our understanding of rat lungworm disease in Hawaii and the risk factors associated with infections, we are applying what we learn to improve our prevention efforts in the state,” he shared. Infectious disease news.

“These efforts are focused on educating the public about the disease, how it is transmitted and the best prevention strategies.”

The Hawaii Department of Health strongly advises against eating raw or undercooked snails or slugs.

Officials also recommend cooking snails, shrimp and crabs before eating them, and washing all produce before consuming.