Health officials in the US island state of Hawaii are alarmed over a sudden uptick in cases of a parasitic worm that invades the human brain.

Six cases of rat lungworm disease have so far been confirmed in Maui in the last three months, with officials investigating other possible patients; only two cases were charged in the entire decade preceding this.

The parasitic roundworm is named Angiostrongylus cantonensis.  The adult version of it lives only in rats, which poop it out.  From there, it's picked up by other animals, such as freshwater shrimp, crabs, and frogs - Hawaiian officials say it has been detected in slugs and snails on Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island.  People could get the parasite if they handle infected animals, or if they eat raw vegetables and fruit that have been contaminated with tiny snails or slugs that have eaten the worms. 

"I hope people really understand it's in their hands to prevent infection by properly washing all of the produce regardless where they buy it from," said Cheryl Vasconcellos, executive director of the primary care health organization Hana Health.  "Everyone needs to be vigilant about it and take precautionary measures."

Many people will show no symptoms and will recover from the infection on their own.  But the more severe infections can result in a form of meningitis that causes intense headaches, tremors, numbness, and fever symptoms.  If untreated, it could be fatal.

"If you could imagine, it's like having a slow-moving bullet go through your brain and there's no rhyme or reason why it's going to hang out in this part of the brain or that part of the brain," said state Epidemiologist Sarah Park.