Public Health Risk of Foodborne Pathogens in Edible African Land Snails, Cameroon

Abstract

In tropical countries, land snails are an important food source; however, foodborne disease risks are poorly quantified. We detected Campylobacter spp., Yersinia spp., Listeria spp., Salmonella spp., or Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli in 57%–86% of snails in Cameroon. Snail meat is a likely vector for enteric diseases in sub-Saharan Africa countries.

Keywords

• African land snails
• natural habitats
• foodborne pathogens
• potential health risks
• Cameroon
• Campylobacter spp.