NEW GUINEA FLATWORMS IN CHARLOTTE COUNTY

PANIC AND REASONBY RALPH E. MITCHELL

PANIC AS LOCAL NEWS REPORTS NEW GUINEA FLATWORMS FOUND IN LEE COUNTY

HOMEOWNERS PANIC ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN AND PETS

MANY PEOPLE REACT AND WANT THEIR FLATWORMS EXAMINED

A LAND PLANARIAN, BIPALIUM KEWENSE

DOLICHOPLANA STRIATA

FOOD SOURCE: EARTHWORMS

WE HAVE A SPECIMEN POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED AS A NEW GUINEA FLATWORM

MEET THE NEW GUINEA FLATWORM -(PLATYDEMUS MANOKWARI)

NEW GUINEA FLATWORM FOOD SOURCES

CHARLOTTE COUNTY NEW GUINEA FLATWORM

CHARLOTTE COUNTY NEW GUINEA FLATWORM

SHOULD PEOPLE CALL THE POLICE IF THEY SEE A NEW GUINEA FLATWORM?

IF YOU ARE A SNAIL, YES!

IF YOU ARE A HUMAN – NO!

• The science behind the New Guinea flatworm and the parasite it could carry seems to indicate that the possibility of being infected by the rat lungworm parasite is possible, but miniscule, As Dr. Bill Kern mentions in his article: “The probability that a person could become infected with a rat lungworm from

a New Guinea flatworm is extremely small at the current level of

infestation within rats and snails in Florida.”

IF YOU WANTED TO, HOW DO YOU GET INFECTED BY THE RAT LUNGWORM?

A ROOF RAT WOULD NEED TO BE INFECTED WITH THE RAT LUNGWORM

LUNGWORM LARVAE MUST BE IN THE RAT DROPPINGS

A SNAIL MUST THEN EAT THE RAT FECES

THE NEW GUINEA FLATWORM MUST THEN EAT THE SNAIL

A PERSON MUST THEN EAT SOMETHING RAW COVERED IN NEW GUINEA FLATWORM SLIME

• This could cause a type of meningitis

CONCLUSIONS

• Don’t panic – the chances of being infected with rat lungworm are small

• Control local rat populations

• Wash raw fruits and vegetables before consuming

• Don’t handle New Guinea Flatworms

• Communicate accurate information to the public – Dr. Kern’s Factsheet

RESOURCES• Kern, W. (2016) The New Guinea Land Planarian: A New Invasive Species. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.

• Choate, P. M. & Dunn, R. A. (2015) land planarians. Featured Creatures, The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.

• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - New Guinea Flatworm - https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/invertebrates/new-guinea-flatworm/

• Kasprak, A. & LaCapria, K. (2018) Should People Call the Police if They See a New Guinea Flatworm? - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/call-police-new-guinea-flatworm/.

• Main, D. (2015) Invasive New Guinea Flatworm Has Made Its Way to Florida. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/invasive-new-guinea-flatworm-has-made-its-way-florida-346159 .

• Miller, C. (2015) New Guinea flatworm detected in south Florida. Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service Department, IFAS.

• Capinera J.L..& White, J. (2014) University of Florida terrestrial snails affecting plants in Florida Featured Creatures, The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.

• Bisacky, T. (2017) Potentially dangerous flatworm emerges in Cape Coral. https://www.winknews.com/2017/02/02/potentially-dangerous-flatworm-emerges-in-cape-coral/

• D'Ambra, D. (2017) Flatworms once again spotted in Cape Coral - A slimy pest is back in Cape Coral.- https://www.nbc-2.com/story/36911508/flatworms-once-again-spotted-in-cape-coral

• Clowe, S. (2018) Beware of these dangerous worms in Cape Coral - Those living in both Southwest and Northeast Cape Coral have spotted New Guinea Flatworms in their yards. https://www.nbc-2.com/story/39072353/beware-of-these-dangerous-worms-in-cape-coral

• Bing – Creative Commons Licenses

• Photos/Videos - Roberto Delatorre & Phil Brown

https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/invertebrates/new-guinea-flatworm/https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/call-police-new-guinea-flatworm/https://www.newsweek.com/invasive-new-guinea-flatworm-has-made-its-way-florida-346159https://www.winknews.com/2017/02/02/potentially-dangerous-flatworm-emerges-in-cape-coral/https://www.nbc-2.com/story/36911508/flatworms-once-again-spotted-in-cape-coralhttps://www.nbc-2.com/story/39072353/beware-of-these-dangerous-worms-in-cape-coral

New Guinea Flatworms In Charlotte CountyPanic as local news reports new guinea flatworms found in lee countyhomeowners panic about their children and petsMany people react and want their flatworms examinedA land planarian, Bipalium kewense��Dolichoplana striataFood Source: EarthwormsWe have a specimen positively identified as a new guinea flatwormMeet the new guinea flatworm - (Platydemus manokwari)New Guinea flatworm Food sourcesCharlotte county New Guinea Flatworm Charlotte county New Guinea Flatworm Should People Call the Police if They See a New Guinea Flatworm?If you are a snail, yes!If you are a human – no!If you wanted to, How do you get infected by the rat lungworm? A roof rat would need to be infected with the rat lungworm Lungworm larvae must be in the rat droppingsA snail must then eat the rat fecesThe new guinea flatworm must then eat the snailA person must then eat something raw covered in new guinea flatworm slime ConclusionsResources