SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Editor’s note: A previous version of this article credited the research to the CDC. The study appeared in a CDC journal, but the research was conducted by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and its partners.
Brain-eating worms known as ‘rat lungworm’ have been found in San Diego County, the first time the parasitic worms have been found in any state west of Texas.
According to new research from the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, published by the CDC, the parasite Angiostrongylus cantonensis, better known as rat lungworm, was first detected in a 7-year-old male parma wallaby at the San Diego Zoo in December 2024. According to researchers, the wallaby was experiencing neurological issues, including head shaking, blindness, and limb rigidity. The wallaby died 11 days following the diagnosis…