RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Snails are easily found in yards, especially during the rainy season. However, a question arises among the public: are these shelled animals dangerous to touch or handle directly?

Principal Researcher at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Kartika Dewi, explained that this concern relates to the Angiostrongylus worm, which can live in snails and cause Angiostrongyliasis, a human infection caused by nematode worms of this genus.

Kartika continued, explaining that this worm belongs to the group of zoonotic parasitic nematodes from the Metastrongylidae family, which originally live in rodents such as rats. She explained that the L3-stage larvae of the worm can be excreted along with the snail's mucus, potentially leaving behind a trail of mucus.

However, Kartika affirmed that this risk does not necessarily make snails dangerous to touch. According to her, both snails and slugs are safe to handle as long as they are not swallowed, and she cautioned that not all snails carry the worm larvae in their bodies.

The key point he conveyed was that the route of transmission of Angiostrongylus to humans is not through skin contact or touch, but through the digestive system. This means that the larvae of this parasite cannot penetrate human skin through simple contact.

Transmission only occurs if a person consumes an intermediate host, such as a snail or leech, raw or undercooked. Furthermore, consuming paratenic hosts such as freshwater shrimp, crabs, and frogs contaminated with larvae can also be a route for the parasite to enter the human body.

As an additional note, the snail (Lissachatina fulica) itself is known as an invasive alien species originating from East Africa and now widespread in various countries. However, snails are still commonly consumed in some regions, including Indonesia, as long as they are thoroughly cooked to kill any parasites they may contain.

With this explanation, it is hoped that the public does not need to be overly afraid of touching snails or slugs around the house. What needs to be watched out for is the habit of consuming snails or similar animals raw or undercooked.