Rat Lungworm Is in California—How Does it Affect Humans? Posted on March 30, 2026 by Connor Johnson Newsweek March 11, 2026 Angiostrongylus cantonensis—commonly known as rat lungworm—a parasite that can cause a form of meningitis in people, was detected in wild opossums and rats, as well as in a zoo‑housed animal, at the San Diego Zoo in San Diego County, California, according to research published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Emerging Infectious Diseases journal. Read Article