meningitis

[bookitten]

I cant remember where I read it now but some website was saying something like wild snails could give you meningitis.


sophie

[Paul]

This is true, caused by the rat-lung parasite. I did quite a bit of research on this and I will be putting it all together and making a page about it. I just havent had time yet.

It wasn't quite the risk we thought it could have been, but if you have wild snails, just make sure you wash your hands.

paul

[Paul]

For people wondering about the dreaded rat-lung parasite, here's a few points.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis

It can cause serious illness in humans and can result in death.

Our biology isn't suitable for them so they tend to make their way to the brain. This can cause a type of eosinophilic meningitis. The easiest way to catch them is by ingesting them. There have been a few cases of infection after handling not eating. The illness can be cured in most cases with strong drugs, particularly if caught early but the illness is very painful.

90% of the worms live in the snails colon

Be particularly careful with faeces

It can't be passed from snail to snail.

I don't believe that personally, if some exist in the mucus (which they do) it seems possible to me that one could be transferred from one snail to the another by touch.

It can't be passed from snail to egg.

So, removing eggs from a tank and hatching them will mean your babies are clean.

It can't reproduce in a snail, it needs mammals to complete the cycle.

It has 3 stages, stage 2 is infectious - eventually the worms fail at the end of stage 2 and then become safe. This "quarantine" period is unknown. I have contacted parasite experts and received no answer. However, I have had some contact with a few people who didn't know specifically but thought stage 2 would last less than 8 weeks, probably. We need to find out exactly so we know the exact quarantine time.

paul

[moni]

Hi, I'm interested on any more info. for this quarantune period because I keep wild snails I've found. My son and I enjoy holding them and we always wash hour hand afterwards but this risk is kind of scarey. I've thought about feeding the snails garlic since it's a natural anti-parasitic. Any thoughts or more info.? Thanks, Moni

[Paul]

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a parasite found in both Asia and Africa, so I wouldn't worry about taking snails from the wild unless you live there. I don't think they'd eat garlic, it is a natural deterrent, though I have seen Helix aspersa eating onion flower stems. Pumpkin seeds contain a natural de-worming agent and is used to rid fish of worms. It's safe for snails but I'm not sure of its efficacy.

The problem stems from the similarity of worms and snails. Most anthelminthics will kill snails also. Snails are the vector for worms for other animals that eat them like birds and hedgehogs etc. Most de-worming agents rely on the differences in biology between worms and mammals and as snails are closer to worms than mammals, you'd struggle to find an effective method. Someone on here once mentioned a deworming agent that was successful for snails, but I never managed to find any info on it, or where you could buy it and my emails to the poster were never replied to.

[moni]

Thanks for the response. I'm in the U.S. I've found 6 different native species of snail so far and they all appear healthy. I just didn't want to put my family at risk for parasites from them. I'll see if they'll try green garlic chives. So far their favorite foods are cardboard and carrots.

[autumn]

Thanks for sharing that. I have a 2 year old daughter and obviously I wouldn't let her hold my snails once they arrive because I wouldn't want her to hurt them accidentally, but do you think she could be at any sort of risk especailly with her being so young? I would wash my hands before and after holding the snails but is that enough? I know these ones are captive bred so that should minimise the risk of them being affected with any sort of virus right?

[Val]

If the snails are captive bred then they shouldn't be infected at all, but obviously always best to wash hands thoroughly after handling them.

Val

[autumn]

Oh that's good news. Yes I'll wash my hands I've made a mental note of that. ;D

[mickysnail]

Thats good news, I was worried for a minute. I made sure that my snails are from the uk.

[Kevin]

mickysnail said:

Thats good news, I was worried for a minute. I made sure that my snails are from the uk.

even with wild caught snails theres very little risk, if proper hygiene is maintained when handling, cleaning, and feeding your snails then there isnt any risk.

[mickysnail]

What about the risk to my other pets?

[Kevin]

mickysnail said:

What about the risk to my other pets?

unless they actually eat the snails they should also be ok, from what ive read the main risks are eating undercooked, wild caught snails.

[snaily]

Common garden snails , like Helix Pomatia , can have this disease??

[Paul]

They don't have the disease, they can contain worms that can cause it in humans. I'm not sure of it's prevalence in Europe as it seems to be traditionally a tropical conditions but we have to assume there is a possibility. Birds and fish, which can be carriers of the worms having previously eaten snails, can travel long distances.

[snailey]

hi, ive just regestered, ive got 4 snails, gal ones i think, very new to all this but im soo interested! However ive had them for around 4 months and last month my daughter got menicoccal septismia (spelt wrong sorry) shes only 18 months, and thats actual menangitus! (before the bactiria meats the cell) Do you think this could be related to my snails..? Although she has never touched them..? Please write back, Or might be easier if you send me a message.. Oh and hi all!! would apprieciate any help with this site anyone could give me its all a bit confuzzling...lol x

[Paul]

All I can tell you is that snail parasites can cause Eosinophilic meningitis a particular type that is caused predominantly by parasites.

www.virtualinfectioncentre.com/diseases.asp?did=773

I'd suggest you ask your doctor whether it is this type that afflicted your daughter.

[Wayne]

This is interesting, I assuming that the whole snail-meningitis thing was american propaganda to stop their citizens from bringing in african snails as pets.
See this link: www.doacs.state.fl.us/press/2004/05122004.html

Still I think maybe they over-exaggerated, the Florida state was more concerned about being damage to crops etc and used the meningitis thing as ammunition.

Wayne

[coyote]

My understanding is that the main objection to GALS is due to the potential for severe crop damage in the U.S. Of course, any other reason the agricultural industry can find to ban them is only going to strengthen their argument.

[borderpatrol2329]

This in itself is interesting, as the late Dr. Albert Mead did extensive research into the impact and possible threat posed by A. Fulica. One important finding is that A. Fulica cannot tolerate even a limited exposure to freezing temperatures, and prolonged exposure to temperatures below 42* caused a fairly high mortality rate. Therefore, the range of A. Fulica in the Continental U.S. would be virtually the same as that of Liguus Tree Snails, which is extreme Southern Florida. This is essentially limited to Greater Miami and the Keys. Aside from some Nuseries and Tree Farms, there is no major agriculture to be threatened in these areas. One only has to look to Europe for proof. GAL's have been in the Pet Trade for many decades. Which European Country is infested? The Cornwall area can support Palm Trees. Where are the GAL's?

Furthermore, Dr. Mead found that in tropical environment where A. Fulica did spread to, after an initial explosion, the population stabalized, and A. Fulica was just a nusiance, not this harbinger of doom that the US. makes it out to be. The worst damage was caused by the deliberate release of Eugladia Rosea in an attempt to kill A. Fulica. The E. Rosea preferred the native tree snails over A. Fulica, and has caused the virtual extinction of a number of species.

Since we are on the subject, how about the supposed infestation that took place in suburban Miami in 1966 by the accidental release of three A. Fulica. They claim that these three snails
ended up creating some 40,000 snails in just 5 years. Since Florida is a temperate climate, and not a tropical climate, and has a dry season where the snails would be dormant, what would the rate of maturation to sexual maturity be? Their numbers would appear to be a bit difficult to support scientifically.

The U.S. spent over $700,000.00 1966 dollars and over 67,000 man hours killing something, but what? Well, lets look at this logically. Who was putting in those hours? Was it experts in the field of mulloscs, or was it Clem and his minumum wage pest control gang? Ever have a look at some of the species of Florida Tree Snails and notice a superficial resemblance to A. Fulica? Would Clem and the gang be able to distinguish between Liguus Humesi, or Orthalicus Reses? I highly doubt it. Isn't it odd that shortly after they eradicated the A. Fulica infestation, they noticed that the Tree Snails had disappeared. In particular, Orthalicus Reses, the Stock Island Tree Snail. This is the only U.S. Land Snail that is on the endangered species list. Oddly enough, the population has rebounded significantly over the last twenty years. They are almost common in some areas now.

I am sure that this is all a coincidence, because of the U.S. Government would have made such a horiffic mistake and almost wipe out the native Tree Snails of Florida, they would never cover up their mistake by perpetuating their story about the threat posed by GAL's. Can you imagine seizing classroom pets from crying children in Minnesota just to cover up someone's bonehead mistake from over four decades before? Feeding people lies and propaganda to instill fear over a harmless creature that could not pose a threat instead of admitting they made a terrible mistake? No it just couldn't be possible. Still, I wonder what happened to all the beloved Tree Snails?

[crossless]

Really weird that people try to get rid of snails by picking them up and killing why not use insecticide so snail can't be found they are example laying egg etc.

Yes I have been healthy even I keep gals. I have noticed few sites that if people find some in wild they have to call to some people to get them and destroy them and only there's negative things about them. Then I heard that they are illegal because that "if they get bore of them no one release them wild" what difference it makes when there's no easy way get rid of them all few more or less still there is going to be som of them..

[coyote]

Hi bordeerpatrol2329, welcome to the forum. In one single post you have managed to express all that is bone-headed and obdurate about the US government in general and the USDA in particular. The government loves its rules, especially rules for rules' sake. Common sense has no place in such a bureaucracy.

[brunni]

The caresheet of the Amatuer Entomologists' Society seems quite informative about parasitic infection from handling GALS. It is however more pertinent to UK GAL owners.
www.amentsoc.org/insects/caresheets/giant-african-land-snails.html

Although the infectious agents that elicit eosinophils in the human spinal system are parasites that are not endemic to North America and Europe, cases of eosinophilic meningitis due to these parasites may be encountered in subjects who have traveled to endemic countries ( e.g. Africa, Asia ). In addition, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, a principal agent of eosinophilic meningitis and a natural parasite of rats, has spread progressively throughout the Pacific basin and is now found in regions of North America due to ship-borne, intercontinental dissemination of infected rats.
(source : www.amentsoc.org/insects/caresheets/giant-african-land-snails.html )

“We hope this will help to remind others to avoid eating raw slugs,” the moderator, Eskild Petersen, said. www.nytimes.com/2011/10/18/health/18global.html?_r=2&ref=todayspaper
Of course ingestion of raw or uncooked snails or slugs ( just in case you were thinking otherwise ! ) should be avoided.

And its always best to wash your hands after handling your snails.