Florida warns residents of giant African land snail that may cause meningitis in humans: report

Do you know some snails could cause meningitis? 

The Florida Division of Agriculture and Shopper Providers (FDACS) is warning Pasco County to watch out for the enormous African land snail (GALS) that may carry a uncommon rat lungworm known as Angiostrongylus cantonensis, which can trigger meningitis in people, in response to the state’s latest “Pest Alert.” 

“The large African land snail … is without doubt one of the most invasive pests on the planet, inflicting agricultural and environmental injury wherever it’s discovered,” the report added.  

After receiving discover of a “doable” inhabitants of the snail in New Port Richey, Pasco County on June 21, FDACS stated a property survey confirmed the presence of a white type of the enormous African land snail two days later. 

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“The phenotype in Pasco County has a creamy white flesh versus the grey-ish brown flesh of the phenotype that was eradicated within the Miami space,” stated Erin M. Moffet, FDACS’s communications director.  

Moffet advised Fox Information that Mellon, a mollusk detector canine, is actively surveying for the pest. 

The division stated on their web site that they are going to deal with properties with a selected snail bait that may be a metaldehyde-based molluscicide labeled by the U.S. Environmental Safety Company for residential use.   

Metaldehyde is a pesticide used to manage snails that’s authorized to be used in lots of crops, fruit bushes, avocado and citrus orchards, berry crops, banana crops and in restricted residential areas, the division stated on their web site.  

The pesticide interferes with the snail’s mucus manufacturing means, thereby lowering their digestion and mobility, which makes them prone to dehydration, per the web site.  

After consuming the metaldehyde, the GALS usually seeks hiding locations, then turns into inactive and begins to die inside days, the division stated.  

“FDACS’s Division of Plant Business has begun to survey the realm, enacted a quarantine and can start remedy for this detrimental pest on June 29, 2022,” the state division stated.  

“It’s illegal to maneuver the enormous African land snail or a regulated article, together with however not restricted to, crops, crops components, crops in soil, soil, yard waste, particles, compost or constructing supplies, inside, by means of or from a quarantine space and not using a compliance settlement.” 

The snail is in style within the pet commerce in different international locations, however it’s a federally prohibited organism that can’t be legally bought or possessed in the USA, per the FDACS report.  

The snail is in style within the pet commerce in different international locations, however it’s a federally prohibited organism that can’t be legally bought or possessed in the USA, per the FDACS report.  
(U. S. Customs and Border Safety)

“The large African land snail is without doubt one of the most damaging snails on this planet and consumes at the least 500 various kinds of crops. These snails could possibly be devastating to Florida agriculture and pure areas as they trigger intensive injury to tropical and subtropical environments,” FDACS stated on their web site.  

The state first eradicated the pest in 1975 after detecting it in 1969 and most not too long ago eradicated the pest in 2021 after detecting it in 2011 in Miami-Dade County, per the FDACS web site.  

The snail could cause a illness known as Angiostrongliasis, or rat lungworm illness, in response to the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC).  

“An contaminated rat coughs up worms from the lungs into the throat the place they’re then swallowed by the rat. The worms are actually within the rat’s digestive system and finally find yourself within the rat’s poop,” the CDC stated. 

A snail will get contaminated two methods: by both accidently consuming the rat’s poop or the worm penetrating the snail’s physique.  

“When a rat eats an contaminated slug or snail, the cycle begins once more,” the CDC added. 

Most circumstances of rat lungworm illness happen in components of Asia and the Pacific Islands, however some have been in Caribbean, Africa and United States, like in Hawaii and Louisiana. 

So why ought to people fear about it? 

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and FDACS will probably be holding a press convention on the latest GALS detection from FDACS’ Clearwater workplace, which will probably be livestreamed on the Division’s Fb web page. 
( Drew Angerer/Getty Pictures)

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Individuals get the illness once they eat uncooked or undercooked snails which might be contaminated with the worms in addition to consuming fruits or greens that haven’t been washed properly that additionally include the snails.  

“Individuals current with signs of bacterial meningitis, resembling nausea, vomiting, neck stiffness, and complications which might be usually world and extreme,” the CDC stated. 

“Most infections of [Angiostrongylus cantonensis] resolve spontaneously over time with out particular remedy as a result of the parasite can’t survive for lengthy within the human physique. Nevertheless, severe problems can hardly ever happen, resulting in neurologic dysfunction or loss of life.” 

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and FDACS will probably be holding a press convention on the latest GALS detection from FDACS’ Clearwater workplace, which will probably be livestreamed on the division’s Fb web page.