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The main diseases caused by the snail are schistosomiasis, popularly called water belly or snail's disease, fasciolosis and eosinophilic meningitis, which can reach people through contact with the secretions of the snails or consumption of these raw or undercooked molluscs.
Snails are small mollusks easily found in plantations, gardens and even in cities because they have no predators, they reproduce quickly and feed on plants, and can even eat house paints.
In Brazil, there are very rarely reports of diseases caused by snails, but in other countries, diseases are more frequent. The main difference is that the snails found here generally do not contain the parasites necessary to transmit diseases and therefore there is no need to despair when finding a snail on the lettuce tree or walking around the yard, although its elimination is recommended if an increase in amount.
Main diseases caused by snail
For the snail to be able to transmit diseases it must be infected with parasites, which does not always happen. The main diseases that can be caused by snails are:
1. Schistosomiasis
Schistosomiasis is popularly known as snail disease or illness, as the parasite Schistosoma mansoni needs the snail to develop part of its life cycle and, when it reaches the infective form, it is released into the water and infects people through on the skin, causing redness and itching at the entrance site and, subsequently, muscle weakness and pain.
This disease is more common in tropical climate environments where there is no basic sanitation and there are large numbers of snails of the genus Biomphalaria. Learn all about schistosomiasis.
2. Fasciolosis
Fascioliasis is an infectious disease caused by the parasite Fasciola hepatica that needs the snail to complete its life cycle, especially freshwater snails of the species Lymnaea columela and Lymnaea viatrix.
The eggs of these parasites are released in the feces of animals and the miracide, which corresponds to the pre-larval stage of this parasite, is released from the egg and manages to reach the snails, infecting them. In snails, there is development to the infective form and then it is released into the environment. Thus, when people come into contact with the snail or the environment it inhabits, it can become infected. Understand how the life cycle of Fasciola hepatica.
3. Eosinophilic meningitis (cerebral angiostrongyliasis)
Eosinophilic meningitis, also called brain angiostrongyliasis, is caused by the parasiteAngiostrongylus cantonensis, which can infect slugs and snails and infect people by eating these raw or undercooked animals or contact with the mucus released by them. As this parasite is not well adapted to the human organism, it can travel to the nervous system, causing severe headache and stiff neck, for example.
One of the main snails responsible for eosinophilic meningitis is the giant African snail, whose scientific name is Achatina fulica. See more about eosinophilic meningitis.
4. Abdominal angiostrongyliasis
Like eosinophilic meningitis, abdominal angiostrongyliasis is transmitted by the giant African snail infected by the parasite Angiostrongylus costaricensis, which when entering people's bodies can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal pain, vomiting and fever, for example.
How contagion happens
Infection with diseases caused by snails can happen when eating these raw or undercooked animals, when eating food or coming into direct contact with their secretions. In addition, in the case of schistosomiasis, it is not necessary to have direct contact with the snail or its secretions, it is enough to be in an environment with polluted water, since the snail releases the infectious form of the parasite in the water.
How to protect yourself and eliminate the snail
To avoid the diseases caused by the snail it is recommended not to consume its meat, not to touch it and to wash very well all the foods that may have come in contact with these animals or with their secretions. If you touch a snail or its secretions, it is recommended to wash the area thoroughly with soap and water.
In addition, fruits and vegetables should be washed very well with water and then soaked for 10 minutes, fully covered, in a mixture of 1 liter of water with 1 spoon of bleach.
It is also important to avoid environments that have snails and clean backyards and gardens that may be infested. When cleaning, it is recommended to avoid contact of the snail with your hands using gloves or a plastic case. It is also important to collect eggs that are usually half-buried. What is collected, should be placed in a container and immersed in a solution with sodium hypochlorite for about 24 hours. Then, the solution can be discarded and the shells placed in a closed plastic bag and discarded in the common garbage.