A harmless delicacy.

Snails are common in many parts of the world and many people relish them as a delicacy. They look harmless but what they carry on and in their bodies could be infectious. When well prepared, snails are great and delicious dishes. However, in the course of preparing snails, children should be kept away to prevent them from getting infected. Before cooking or frying snails they must be properly washed with salt and parboiled. Snails carry flatworms called Schistosoma. They cause a disease called Schistosomiasis in human beings. People who eat raw snails or snails that are not properly cleaned and cooked are easily infected with this disease. The worms attack the liver, bladder and other vital organs of the body. This could lead to liver failure and the inability to urinate properly. Legs dipped in water containing snails could also get infected by worms that swim out of the bodies of the snails into the surrounding water.