Eye infection from handling snails (Europe)

[sandbender]

A quick google search pulled up nothing.

Is there any kind of eye infection that humans (in Europe) can get from handling live snails?

Any thoughts?

 

[Goatboy]

Morning,

Are you thinking of Toxocariasis? Mainly get it from dog/cat poo and can cause blindness. As slugs and snails have a habit of climbing on poo and eating it you could get cross infection.

Only thing I can think of off hand.

Hope it helps,
GB.

 

[sandbender]

That was probably what I was thinking about, storm in a teacup I think, thanks though.

 

[Robson Valley]

Cercarial Dermatitis = "Swimmer's Itch." Snails here are intermediate hosts for a life cycle stage of a parasite (Schistosome?) which infects waterfowl.
The snails release a swimming form which can and does burrow into human skin by accident. While your immune system kills them off,
the Itch is second to none. In my eyes, I can't imagine. Coming out from a lake swim, the best "cure" seems to be a vigorous towelling down, all over.
Do such parasites exist over your way?

 

[sandbender]

"...Do such parasites exist over your way?.."

No, thats a new, and terrifying, new one for me.

I have traveled in Africa where all manner of nasties can get at you via the water, Europe not so much it seems.

 

[Toddy]

That sounds utterly horrendous….is it common across there ?

I complain about midgies and clegs, but I've never wondered about something in the water.

M

 

[Goatboy]

That sounds utterly horrendous….is it common across there ?

I complain about midgies and clegs, but I've never wondered about something in the water.

M

What about the pike that used to attack swimmers at Pitlochry M?
I've also heard that waterboatmen and one of the aquatic spiders can give you a nasty nip. Probably best asking Harvestman about that though. Still despite the midge and cleggs we're very lucky here in UK on the vector front. Despite what the ticks did to me.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[Robson Valley]

The Waterboatman is a true bug. Syringe needle-like mouth part to inject digestive enzymes then suck up the soup.

Google "Swimmer's Itch" and select Images. Some people's immune systems are inefficient = I've seen parasite welts an inch long _in_ their skin
before the little bugger dies. On me, like an extreme mosquito bite (to which I hardy react.)
Distribution? Educated guess = warm water lakes and snails, everywhere south of 54N.

Catch horse flies alive. Insert single Black Spruce (Picea nigra) needle into posterior. They are the exact size to make the fly butt-heavy.
Release fly. All they can do is fly straight up, out of sight = end of annoyance.

 

[xylaria]

Snails and other thingys or thier ilk are vectors for that many different parasites they have their own branch of parasitology, and their own -ologists that study them.

Can handling snails give you an eye infection= probably.

Crickey the daily mail had a girl that caught a bug in her eyes off tap water and we have better tap water than most of the planet.

Robson valley that is really evil and worryingly well thought out, those kind of ideas need to be discussed with a medical professional.

 

[Robson Valley]

I think it's hardest on children playing on the beach in a lakeside resort. They are in and out of the water, along the water's edge,
all day long with little/no sense to towel off. It's a fact that some adults have been hospitalized with extreme infection rates.

In the 1950's/1960's where we have owned a beach house since 1912, the real cure was to drag a burlap sack of copper sulfate
back and forth in the beach swimming area (boats restricted to N & S ends). No swimming for 24hrs. Seemed to knock down the local snail population.
Not allowed any more.

I don't recall which species of Diptera is our "horse fly." Fantastic annoyance with ranchers setting smudge fires to keep their horses from going crazy.
I lived on the Churchill River in Saskatchewan, about 30 miles upstream from Missinippe on Otter Lake. Canoe was about the only way out.
Not at all uncommon to see bears & moose & deer swimming around because of the big meat-eating flies.
You ever need to eat lunch with your coat over your head?

 

[Goatboy]

When you read up (and sometime worse look at pictures) of the multitude of things that attack/live on the body an the number of weird and wonderfull ways they do it you'll be sitting squirming and howking away at yourself. Can be enough to put you off the idea of going out and just wanting to sit in a bubble instead. Interesting stuff though... (he said scratchin' away while typing with one hand.)

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[Joonsy]

Snails and slugs infect dogs with lungworm in the UK (called Angiostrongylus), it can cause serious problems for the dog including lung, liver, intestine and eye problems. It does not affect humans though.

Outside of Europe snails cause various diseases to humans, Snail fever in China for example or Angiostrongyliasis in Asia which causes a type of meningitis.

 

[Toddy]

Ever feel grateful that we live at 55.8 degN ?

M

 

[Robson Valley]

There's a case to be made for the equalizing properties of a snowy winter. Lots of folks would protest.
But I won't argue about the lack of mud and bugs.
Lived on OZ for almost 4 years. There was no end to the bugs. Did find a Praying Mantis
to live quite happily on my bedroom windowsill. A smallish spider took up residence
in the windscreen trim molding of my car. Discrete web and fantastic fly killer.

 

[Pterodaktyl]

Ever feel grateful that we live at 55.8 degN ?

M

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water... I believe "swimmer's itch" also occurs at some of the hot springs in Iceland, where the water is warm enough for the parasites to survive all year round regardless of the surrounding climate!

 

[Robson Valley]

The real "take-home-lesson" here is to do a dang thorough job of washing your hands, no matter how compulsive the urge
is to touch your eyes. Best to hedge your bets.
Meanwhile, the escargot, grilled with garlic, a shot of L&P , knobs of butter with S&P, might take the edge off a long day.
Your choice of a glass of accompanying white?. . . . . . . .

 

[pysen78]

I've seen signs warning about swimmers itch in sweden. Or something like it. Apparently brought by Canada Goose. Only a risk to infants and toddlers according to the signs.

 

[xylaria]

On the other hand I am a strong believer in the good of dirt.

As a teenager swimming in highgate ponds cured my eczema. Paddling in a pond abated my daughters eczema considerably. Seawater is better than steriod cream, but it cant be bottled or sold.

Europeans have pretty good immune systems for dealing with snail borne nemotodes amd trematodes. Maoris that have lived at least 1, 000 years on islands with a very low burden of parasite infections havent got an immune system that can deal well with certain types of parasites. The peck of dirt before you die is important.

 

[Goatboy]

Though there is the consideration between how much time there is between eating the peck of dirt and death to take account of.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.