Is Snail Harmful to Humans (Shocking Facts)

I have snails all over my house, and many will wonder are snails harmful to humans. The answer is No, snails are not harmful nuts; some certain snails can cause harm.

I will explain these harmful snails, their physical appearance and how to stay out of their way while you take the benefit of the good snails that have both health and nutritional value.

A larger percentage of the media has labeled snails pest, and some people keep them as pets, but in all, snails are

Here are themost beautiful snails in the world

Snails have been proven to have a lot of benefits ranging from health to cosmetics and then to industrial uses.

However, it is also reported that there are over 20,000 snail-related deaths every year. What a paradox.

Follow me as I show you the reality behind the status of this unique creature called a snail.

What Is A Snail

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Snails are mollusks that belong to the class Gastropoda, which includes slugs and snails, which account for 80 percent of all mollusks.

Snails come in various shapes and sizes, but their primary distinction is aquatic or terrestrial.

The former (aquatic) is adapted to live in the sea or freshwater bodies, whereas the latter (terrestrial) live entirely on land, albeit in humid environments.

All land snails are gastropod mollusks, which means they are related to octopuses and thus belong to the phylum Mollusca. see what type of snails you can eat

They are also members of the Gastropoda class, which includes all snails and slugs. Being a mollusk means that it lacks an internal skeleton and bones, but snails are not defenseless.

You can find snails almost anywhere. You’ve probably seen some defying gravity in your garden or on the surface of a wall.

Gastropods can be found worldwide, from the Arctic and Antarctic oceans to the equatorial regions.

Furthermore, some species survive in water, while others have adaptations to survive on land.

Land snails, for their part, are among the most widely distributed invertebrates on the planet. You can find them on all the continents and in the sub-Antarctic region, where temperatures are extremely low.

There are over 500 native species only in North America, which coexist with other species introduced or brought from other places.

Can Snail Kill Humans

Though snails appear harmless, you should think twice before approaching this sea snail (cone snail).

The cone snail attracts unsuspecting divers or animals with its colorful shell before releasing a venomous harpoon when the victim gets too close. This harpoon can pierce skin, gloves, and wetsuits.

Also known as cone shells or cones, they are a large group of highly venomous predatory sea snails ranging from small to large.

Cone snails have shells that are conical in shape to varying degrees (hence their common name). The shell surface of many species is patterned with bright colors.

They are almost exclusively found in the tropics and are all nasty and capable of “stinging” humans; their venomous sting can be fatal if handled live.

Humans are most at risk from the larger cones, which prey on small bottom-dwelling fish; the smaller species hunt and eat marine worms.

Cone snails attack and paralyze their prey with a hypodermic needle-like modified radula tooth and a venom gland before engulfing it.

Compared to a dart or a harpoon, the tooth is barbed and can be extended some distance out from the snail’s head at the end of the snout.

Its venoms are mostly made up of peptides. The venoms contain a variety of toxins, the effects of which vary; some are extremely toxic.

The sting of a small cone is no worse than that of a bee, but the sting of a few larger species of tropical cone snails can be serious and, in some cases fatal, to humans.

Snails are said to kill over 20,000 thousand people each year. If you have not eaten a snail before now, you may be wondering what will happen when you eat a snail.

Where can You Find Harmful Snails

Cone snails come in over 900 different species. They are found in warm, tropical seas and oceans worldwide, with the Western Indo-Pacific region having the most diversity.

Some species, however, have adapted to temperate/semi-tropical environments, such as the Cape coast of South Africa, the Mediterranean, or the cool subtropical waters of southern California, and are endemic to these regions.

Cone snails live on sand or among rocks or coral reefs in all tropical and subtropical seas, from the intertidal zone to deeper waters.

These snails bury themselves with only the siphon protruding from the surface when living on sand. Many tropical cone snails inhabit coral reefs or live near them.

Some species can be found under rocks in the lower intertidal and shallow subtidal zone.

The sting usually occurs when divers handle the snails in deep reef waters. Cone snails are unlikely to be found in shallow intertidal waters by swimmers or snorkelers.

On sandy beaches, their empty shells are highly prized. They are nocturnal (active at night), and during the day, they prefer to burrow in the sand and coral.

Cone snail shells can be anywhere from an inch to nine inches long. Worms and other snails are the main prey of cone snails.

Is Snail Slime Harmful

Snail slime is an excretion from the snail.

Snail slime is not poisonous, but it can transmit disease if their mucus is used in topical treatments or the snails are eaten raw.

How Snail Slime Can Help Your Skin

We all try ridiculous things to make our skin glow, look smooth, and have that desirable skin that people will love and compliment.

Snails have progressed from garden dwellers to appetizers to skincare ingredients in recent years. Snails naturally protect, renew, and restore themselves.

Snail slime is used on human skin produces excellent results by moisturizing and rejuvenating the skin. Below are some of the benefits derived from using snail slime:

It possesses anti-aging properties.

Snail slime benefits human skin by hydrating it, preventing aging, improving wrinkles and scars, treating dry skin, and treating stretch marks.

It also stimulates collagen and elastin formation, protects your skin from free radicals, soothes your skin, repairs damaged tissues, and restores hydration.

It removes scars and stretch marks.

The snail filtrate contains two components that boost tissue repair and promote rapid cell renewal: fibrinolysis enzymes, which are thought to be cellular nourishment for the skin, and glycolic acid, which serves as a natural exfoliant that treats scars, fine lines, and wrinkles.

It’s used to treat acne.

If you have acne, snail slime is one of the best treatments because it has natural antimicrobial properties that help fight the bacteria that causes acne.

Furthermore, glycolic acid prevents breakouts by exfoliating the skin, removing dead skin, and unclogging pores.

It’s Beneficial for Hydration

Hyaluronic acid, a component of snail slime, attracts water molecules to the skin’s outer layers, keeping it hydrated.

Snail slime contains 98 percent water, which is ideal for dry skin, as those with dry skin frequently struggle with wrinkles and fine lines.

It Is A Powerful Skin Protector.

Snail slime’s ingredients are powerful tools, including antimicrobials, copper, hyaluronic acid, proteoglycans, and glycoprotein.

It contains various ingredients that will make your skin glow, smooth, and prevent wrinkles and fine lines.

Major Symptoms of Harmful Cone Snail Sting

The harmful Cone snail sting symptoms include:

• The majority of stings occur on the hands and fingers due to handling.

• Mild stings have localized burning and sharp stinging symptoms, similar to wasp or bee stings. They can be severe, with numbness and tingling in the injured area.

• Some sting symptoms can progress to cyanosis (blueness at the sting site due to decreased blood flow) and even numbness or tingling affecting an entire limb.

• In severe cases, total limb numbness spreads to the area around the mouth (perioral) and eventually to the entire body. Paralysis (the Inability to move a part or even the entire body) can lead to diaphragm paralysis, which prevents breathing.

• When the diaphragm is paralyzed, severe cases can result in coma and death.

Other signs and symptoms to look out for include:

Passing out (syncope),
itching,
Inability to coordinate,
cardiac arrest,
speaking difficulties,
Breathing problems, and
You have double vision.

After the venom is injected, symptoms can appear minutes later or days later.

How To Avoid Being Stung By Harmful Snails

A cone snail is distinguished by its cone-shaped shell, fleshy foot, head, and tentacles. Cone snails may be found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the Caribbean and Red Seas, and Florida.

They are not hostile. The sting generally happens when divers touch the snails in deep reef waters.

Avoid coming into contact with these creatures. The animal’s harpoon is strong enough to pierce gloves. The toxin is related to pufferfish and blue-ringed octopus paralytic toxins.

These are other helpful hints for avoiding Cone snail sting:

Do not ignore lifeguard or health official warnings at the beach
Wear protective clothing if you plan to swim or dive in infested areas
Wear protective footwear while walking on beach sand
Be generally aware or watchful of the waters you are in (to the extent possible)
Ensure safety precautions while cleaning marine animal aquariums
Avoid picking up cone shells; if collecting a shell, wear appropriate gloves and gently handle the big end of the shell.
If any portion of the snail begins to protrude from the shell, discard the cone immediately.
Never put the shell in a wet suit, garment pocket, or dive suit.

Treatment for Harmful Snail Sting

A few cone snail species consume fish, and these are the most dangerous to people.

The cone snail uses dart-like teeth (radicula) or dagger to inject a poison that kills its victim quickly. The snail’s head stretches out of the shell to do this. But in such a case, how do you treat this.

If SCUBA diving, the stung diver should immediately surface, accompanied by another diver.
No antivenom is available for cone snail stings.
Make use of the pressure immobilization technique:
Wrap the limb with an elastic bandage (similar to an ACE bandage) starting at the distal end (fingers or toes) and wrapping toward the body. It should be snug, but the fingers and toes should remain pink to prevent circulation from being cut off.
Remove the elastic bandage for 90 seconds every 10 minutes and reapply for the first 4 to 6 hours. (Hopefully, medical care will be available within this time frame.)
Put the affected area in as much hot water as you can stand (water temperature not to exceed 140 F or 60 C).
Inject a local anesthetic around the wound.
An IV dose of 2 to 4 mg naloxone (Narcan) may help treat severe hypotension (low blood pressure).
Local excision (cutting out the stung area) by a medical professional (controversial and not widely recommended)
Keep the patient calm and warm by avoiding excessive movement.
CPR may be required. Artificial respiration may save an individual’s life.
Please do not cut the wound, suction it, or use a tourniquet.

Is Snail Good Or Bad

Snails are more commonly known as garden pests in the United States, while it also serves as an important part of some people’s diet worldwide. They are low in fat, protein and high in various essential vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, selenium, vitamin E, and phosphorus.

Also available frozen, fresh, or canned, benefit from a simple preparation such as roasting or sautéing. but avoid adding snails to your diet if you have high cholesterol. Consult your doctor first.

Having snails in the garden could also be an advantage. Snails are excellent cleaners, especially in the garden. Snails prefer to eat dead garden debris.

In addition to being excellent cleaners, their waste is high in nitrogen and minerals, providing increased nutrition to any grass or plants.

Is There Any Risk associated with Eating Snail

Snail delicacies are highly nutritious and delicious. However, its consumption may pose some risks.

There are risks associated with snail consumption; however, cooking the snails well will eliminate them.

Snails have high protein content and low fat, making them an excellent source of protein. However, if you cook them in buttery sauces, you will be reintroducing fat into them.

Some of these fats may accumulate in the arteries, clogging these tiny tubes that carry oxygen-rich blood throughout your body.

A blockage of the arteries could result in a stroke or a heart attack. It is recommended to avoid eating fat-rich sauces with snails.

Also, Snail consumption is beneficial; however, eating it raw may result in rat lungworm disease.

Rat lungworm disease is caused by a parasite that enters the snail after contact with rat feces.

Fever, vomiting, and nausea are some of the symptoms of rat lungworm disease. The various infections mentioned can be avoided if your snails are thoroughly cooked.

Final Thought

Snail has been a wonderful creature found in almost all parts of the world. The majority of the snails are harmless except for some freshwater snail which is venomous.

Land snails are of immense benefits to humans as it serves as a source of food and other benefits. They are not harmful at all, especially the land snails.

However, care must be taken when dealing with snails because even though they are mostly harmless, they can carry parasites that could endanger your health.

Try out delicious recipes with the African Giant Snail

Is Snail Harmful to Humans (Shocking Facts) - Jeb Foods (2024)