Once upon a time, "Spicy River Snails" and "Spicy Crayfish" were all the rage in restaurants as delicious delicacies. However, over the past couple of days, news has broken in Beijing of "Spicy River Snails" "poisoning" 70 people. What exactly is hidden in "Spicy River Snails"?
Recently, a group case of Angiostrongyliasis cantonensis occurred in Beijing, marking the first time this disease has been diagnosed in the city. Patients experienced persistent headaches for two weeks. In severe cases, their heads could not tolerate any vibration, and even simple actions like walking, sitting, or turning over would trigger intense headaches. They also had symptoms such as neck stiffness, limited mobility, fever, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and facial asymmetry. As of 3 PM on the 21st, there were 70 confirmed cases of Angiostrongyliasis cantonensis in Beijing, with 16 in serious condition.
According to Dr. Yin Chenghong, Assistant Director of the Beijing Institute of Tropical Medicine, the first patient to seek treatment at the Tropical Diseases Clinic of Beijing Friendship Hospital was his friend. After eating "cold-dressed snail meat," the patient developed headaches, fever, and abnormal skin sensations like stinging and burning, which worsened upon touch. At the Beijing Friendship Hospital Tropical Diseases Clinic, he was diagnosed with Angiostrongyliasis cantonensis. First child patient from eating river snails
As of noon on the 20th, the Beijing Friendship Hospital outpatient clinic had treated more than 90 customers who had eaten river snails. Over the weekend, a total of 17 cases of Angiostrongyliasis cantonensis were discovered, including a 13-year-old boy from Shunyi District, Beijing. [China Food]
A patient with the surname Chen said that after seeing media reports these past few days, many of his friends who often eat snail meat panicked. After a discussion, they decided, "Regardless of whether we have symptoms or not, let's go to the hospital for a check-up first." "I never expected that after checking at the hospital, I was the only one who was infected." Mr. Chen, lying in his hospital bed, looked very dejected. Dr. Wang, who has been busy in the emergency room, estimated that a large number of patients will be coming in the next few days: "Many people have called to inquire, saying they will come for a check-up first thing in the morning."
13-year-old Xiao Tian (a pseudonym) is Beijing's first child patient. As soon as the topic of eating river snails was brought up, the child, who had been chatting and laughing with his parents, immediately fell silent. His mother told us that Xiao Tian's uncle lives near Jinsong. On July 22, the uncle took Xiao Tian to the Shuguoyi Jinsong branch for a meal, where they ordered a dish of cold-dressed snail meat and a dish of spicy snail meat. "He even said it didn't taste good at the time and only took a small serving. I never expected that when he woke up the next day, he felt neck stiffness and body aches. We thought it was because he had been swimming for too long the night before."
Later, his symptoms worsened, and he developed a low-grade fever. Xiao Tian's parents became anxious and took him for treatment everywhere. "It's been almost a month, and we've spent several thousand yuan in medical fees, but no illness has been found." According to Dr. Yin Chenghong, Xiao Tian's condition is now stable, although he has some abnormal skin sensations. It is expected that he will recover soon. Angiostrongyliasis cantonensis is preventable and treatable
According to Dr. Yin Chenghong, Angiostrongyliasis cantonensis is a type of foodborne parasitic disease, also known as eosinophilic meningitis. It is caused by the larvae (or occasionally adult worms) of the rat lungworm, *Angiostrongylus cantonensis*, which parasitizes the human central nervous system. This can lead to a large number of eosinophils in the cerebrospinal fluid. In severe cases, larvae can be found in the cerebrospinal fluid, resulting in eosinophilic meningitis or meningoencephalitis.
Dr. Yin Chenghong emphasized that the main culprit for Angiostrongyliasis cantonensis is the river snail. After the river snail was introduced to Guangdong in the early 1980s, the first case of Angiostrongyliasis cantonensis in the country was subsequently discovered in Guangzhou. Now that southern snails are being introduced to the north, the area affected by the disease is gradually expanding northward, creating a phenomenon of "southern diseases moving north." The cause of Angiostrongyliasis cantonensis is mainly the consumption of raw or undercooked land snails, freshwater shrimp, toads, and frogs, as well as drinking raw water contaminated with larvae. The larvae enter the human body through the mouth and digestive tract, with the main lesions concentrated in the central nervous system. Studies have shown that a single river snail can contain as many as 3,000 to 6,000 *Angiostrongylus cantonensis* larvae. Most people contract the disease by eating raw or undercooked river snails containing the parasite. Mildly infected individuals may experience headaches and low-grade fever, with symptoms disappearing in about 3-5 days. Severe cases can lead to neurological disorders. It is recommended that people who have eaten the above-mentioned foods and experience abnormal reactions or discomfort should seek medical attention within 3-30 days for early detection, diagnosis, and treatment.
Angiostrongyliasis cantonensis is preventable and treatable. Cultivating healthy eating habits is the quickest way to prevent foodborne parasitic infections. Prevention mainly involves not eating raw or undercooked meat from pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks, rabbits, and other animals. It is crucial to avoid eating raw, uncooked freshwater fish, shrimp, snails, crabs, frogs, snakes, and other foods. Workers involved in snail meat processing, such as chefs, must also take protective measures. Only by preventing diseases from entering through the mouth and attaching great importance to foodborne parasites can we effectively control the spread of these illnesses.