His symptoms went away in about 2 weeks, without treatment of the infection.Ĭan giant African land snails be infected with this parasite? He became ill a few weeks later, with muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, a slight fever, and vomiting. ” The type of snail he swallowed isn’t known. In 1993, a boy in New Orleans got infected by swallowing a raw snail “on a dare. Very few cases have been reported in the continental United States. Cases have occurred in Hawaii (and other Pacific Islands). Have cases of this infection occurred in the United States? Some have been in other areas of the world, such as in the Caribbean and Africa. In many parts, but most of the known cases of infection have been in parts of Asia and the Pacific Islands. In what parts of the world have people become infected with this parasite? Learn more about how people get infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis in this new motion graphic video.Ĭan an infected person infect other people? Of note, fish do not spread this parasite. It is possible that eating undercooked or raw animals that are infected could result in people becoming infected, though the evidence for this is not as clear as for eating infected snails and slugs. ” People also can get infected by accident, by eating raw produce (such as lettuce) that contains a small snail or slug or part of one.Ĭertain animals such freshwater shrimp, crabs, or frogs, have been found to be infected with larvae of the parasite. Some children, in particular, have gotten infected by swallowing snails/slugs “on a dare. In some cultures, snails are commonly eaten. People can get infected by eating raw or undercooked snails or slugs that are infected with this parasite. However, even if infected, most people recover fully without treatment. People can get infected, under unusual circumstances.

The life cycle is completed when rats eat infected snails or slugs and the larvae further mature to become adult worms.Ĭan people get infected with this parasite? These larvae mature in snails and slugs but do not become adult worms. Snails and slugs get infected by ingesting the larvae. Infected rats pass larvae of the parasite in their feces. The adult form of the parasite is found only in rodents. Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a parasitic worm of rats.

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