Rat Lungworm Confirmed In Giant Snail Samples
October 15, 2012 
Scientists with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Division of Plant Industry (FDACS/DPI) have confirmed rat lungworm parasite, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, in samples of giant African land snails collected as part of the ongoing eradication program in Miami-Dade County. The snails have not been found outside Miami-Dade County.
“The confirmation that a small portion of the giant African land snails infesting Miami-Dade County contain rat lungworm is not surprising, however it is disturbing,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam. “This only emphasizes the urgency we feel to eradicate this destructive, dangerous invasive pest, and why this program is our highest priority,” he added.
Rat lungworm parasite can be found in snails or their “slime” (mucus), and if ingested may cause a form of meningitis. To prevent infection with the rat lungworm parasite, the public is recommended to avoid handling the snails. No human illness due to rat lungworm has been reported in Miami-Dade County. This situation should not to be confused with the reports of the fungal meningitis that has been tied to steroid injections.
The Giant African land snail is one of the most damaging snails in the world because they consume at least 500 different types of plants, can cause structural damage to plaster and stucco. Since program inception, giant African land snail samples have been analyzed for rat lungworm at the FDACS/DPI laboratory in Gainesville. Sampling techniques include both DNA testing and morphological testing, which employs traditional identification through a microscope. A very small volume of the parasitic worms have been found in the positive samples indicating that the level of infection is very low.
State and federal agricultural agencies have been conducting an aggressive eradication program since the giant African land snail was identified in Miami-Dade County in September 2011. To date, more than 88,000 snails have been collected on 400 positive properties in 18 core areas of Miami-Dade County. The giant African land snail has not been found outside of Miami-Dade County.
For more information visit www.FreshFromFlorida.com/pi.