# Eosinophilic Meningitis caused by Slugs?



## wlrodman (Nov 3, 2015)

I recently had a slug infestation that somehow spread to a number of vivariums. I had frogs from two different vivariums die, maybe from unrelated causes. But, I did some research on the internet and saw that Eosinophilic Menengitis is caused by humans coming into contact with slugs and frogs. 

I was wondering if anyone has had frogs expire during slug infestations, or if there is a Doc in the group that can comment on this....

Thanks 

Bill


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

wow...what an interesting...but very sad for you......question...I hope some of the most knowledgeable people weigh in on this....having just read the thread about "sterilizing" plants really puts this in perspective...Please post the results regardless of how/where you get an answer...


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## joneill809 (Feb 25, 2012)

I don't have information specific to your question, but I would suggest coming up with a plan with a pathologist so in the event of another issue you can have the animal necropsied. Otherwise it's really just a guess. Since you lost two in two separate tanks, I would start calling around now - you have a really narrow window for a necropsy. The benefit of a necropsy is you can obtain actionable data and in some cases specific direction, for instance direction on the type of antibiotic you should use for other at risk animals.

I'm in Texas so I work through A&M where the pathologist has exotics/amphibian experience working with the Houston Zoo. FedEx ground gets there overnight for me, so shipping is cheap. I'd work this process out with your vet and find out the location of the local pathologist so you don't lose time figuring that out on the fly should this happen again.

Sorry to hear about your losses.


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

great answer to his post...but please, do not freeze the specimens just refrigerate...and perhaps call other Vet Schools who may have interest in this...from your description, you may have multiple specimens...


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## wlrodman (Nov 3, 2015)

Thank you both for the suggestions. As energy into the frog collection goes up, so does making sure nothing goes wrong! Seems like I'm at the point where I need a good vet. I'll check with my Seattle cohorts and see what I can find out! 

Thanks again! Bill


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Eosinophilic meningitis in humans can be vectored by more than slugs and frogs. For example it can be due to contaminated produce or seafood, contaminated water (with a rat nematode for example). 
Your making quite a jump in the assumption that the slugs are carrying a parasite that infects the frogs but cannot mature in the frogs but is also an aggressive migrating larvae in the frogs. The larvae would have to migrate into the neural tissues (and generally die there) and then trigger the immune response. 

These parasites require multiple hosts to complete their life cycle. This means that the slugs have to come into contact with larvae or eggs from the definitive host (or a carrier) for the parasite to persist in the enclosure (well its possible that if a carrier slug dies and the parasite is consumed by another slug before it dies it can persist but not reproduce). 

It takes more than contact with an infected snail or slug to transmit the parasite. It has to be consumed (and the slug/snail would have had to consume the larvae/eggs that were passed from the definitive host).

This is one of the problems with attempting to search the internet for causes of death based on so little information. There are many more probable causses of death than eosinophilic meningitis. 

As recommended above you really should get a vet and have necropsies performed on any further deaths (and do at least one round of fecal checks/year). 

Some comments 

Ed


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

but it is curious that the frogs were in two different tanks...but we don't know how long the frogs were in his care...whether they came from the same source...things of that sort...perhaps whatever they died from was a longer term thing....but the explanation of the vector/host was pretty clearly explained.....


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## wlrodman (Nov 3, 2015)

I've had both frogs at least 6 months. But, I think Ed is probably more on the right track... The transmission is complex. And, agreed that the problem of internet research is that it doesn't grant practical experience. I was just wondering if anyone had heard of this before.


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## wlrodman (Nov 3, 2015)

Hey Folks - 

I just wanted to update this thread for some closure. 

I was able to meet up with a 20 year frog veteran over the past week. After a lot of discussion, we decided that the slug infestation was a batch of un-sterilized leaf litter that made its way into almost every vivarium. 

I'm treating all the vivariums with Slug-go bi-monthly for the next several months. 

Also, we decided I need to feed more, and mist less. 

So, there you have it.

Thanks again for your help.

Bill


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## wlrodman (Nov 3, 2015)

Hey Folks - 

I just wanted to update this thread for some closure. 

I was able to meet up with a 20 year frog veteran over the past week. After a lot of discussion, we decided that the slug infestation was a batch of un-sterilized leaf litter that made its way into almost every vivarium. 

I'm treating all the vivariums with Slug-go bi-monthly for the next several months. 

Also, we decided I need to feed more, and mist less. 

So, there you have it.

Thanks again for your help.

Bill


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