It’s been problematic here in Hawaii for some time. I personally know multiple people who have had bad cases, including my goddaughter who spent the majority of the second year of her life in the hospital because of it. Do not take rat lungworm lightly. Wash leafy greens well before eating, and keep infants from situations where they could come into contact with slugs and snails.
just wait 'till the Zombie Fungus jumps into humans...
*fuck. I just read the article and... :
Medicinal potential
Ophiocordyceps are known in the pharmaceutical world to be a medically-important group.[7] O. unilateralis fungi produce various known secondary metabolites, as well as several structurally uncharacterised substances. These natural products are reportedly being investigated as potential leads in discovery efforts toward immunomodulatory, antitumor, hypoglycemic, and hypocholesterolemic targets.[24]
In an Ophiocordyceps species within Japanese cicadas, the Ophiocordyceps replaces the symbiotic bacteria within the cicadas to help the host process sap as nutrients, unlike other related species, such as the Ophiocordyceps sinensis, which is a traditional immune booster and cancer treatment in Tibetan and Chinese culture.[25]
And here I thought releasing the cannibal ants was a bad idea...
Or..."ignoring or denying a changing climate has consequences like more fires, more floods, and invasive or dangerous species moving into areas they haven't previously thrived" vibes.