Disclaimer: The following information was gathered from Today and is for 2022. It is for educational purposes.
A recent report says that a dangerous species of snail has been found in Florida and it could prompt quarantine.
The Giant African land snail was spotted in Pasco County, FL. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) says that this particular species of snail is one of the most dangerous in the world.
The invasive species was eradicated twice in the 1970s but is now posing a threat to Florida.
Giant African land snails can carry a meningitis-causing parasite known as rat lungworm and it can be deadly to agriculture.
The presence of these snails in Florida was confirmed by FDACS late last month and they have set up a quarantine zone and a program to deal with the snails.
FDACS had this to say in an article, "These snails could be devastating to Florida agriculture and natural areas as they cause extensive damage to tropical and subtropical environments."
They went on to say that these snails can consume more than 500 different species of plants.
FDACS will be treating properties in the quarantine zone with "snail bait" and encourage residents to report sightings of these snails.
Most people infected with rat lungworm can recover without treatment but it can still be deadly to humans.
Here are things to do to avoid rat lungworm:
- Wash hands and utensils thoroughly when preparing raw snails or slugs.
- Remove any slugs, snails, or rats near the garden or house.
- Do not ingest raw or undercooked snails, slugs, freshwater shrimp, or contaminated vegetables.
- Wash vegetables if eaten raw.
What do you think about this? Have you seen this invasive species? Comment below and let me know! Feel free to share this article with people that you think should read it.
You can click the following link to go to the article where the above information was gathered: https://www.today.com/news/news/giant-snails-carrying-parasite-causes-meningitis-prompt-quarantine-flo-rcna36346
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