Worm that can lead to meningitis shows up in SWFL

FORT MYERS, Fla. An invasive and potentially dangerous flatworm is slithering into Southwest Florida.

Contact with the New Guinea flatworm can lead to viral meningitis in humans, according to University of Florida researchers — though not all of them agree. The first of their kind in Florida was discovered in Miami-Dade County five years ago, and 16 have been spotted in Lee County since then.

Four have shown up in Collier County and one in Hendry. It’s believed they came here through overseas trade.

Annie Godsea found one on her lanai earlier this summer near Estero.

“Walked out here with a cup of coffee, looked down, and there it was,” Godsea said.

She reported it to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which is the recommended procedure for anyone who believes they’ve seen one of the worms. Click here to do so.

 

The worms are black on top and gray on the bottom with a light-colored stripe down the back. Many of the worms are found in lanais around pools because of all the moisture, especially in the morning hours.

They eat snails and slugs native to the area, which can disrupt the ecosystem and affect animals up the food chain.

The slime trails they leave behind are what pose the meningitis risk, so researchers recommend washing produce before its eaten.