PASCO COUNTY, Fla — The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services confirms the detection of a giant African land snail in the New Port Richey area of Pasco County.

If you're wondering what harm a snail can do — it's a lot.

This species of snail is known to consume at least 500 different types of plants. Not only will they eat through your backyard, but they could also be nibbling at your home too. The snails can eat the paint and stucco off of a home.

These mollusks can also bring serious health risks to humans. They can carry a parasite rat lungworm, known to cause meningitis in humans. The snails shouldn't be handled without gloves or proper sanitation procedures in place.

Along with damaging your garden and health, these snails have the potential to majorly impact Florida's agriculture industry.

"If it was to become established, the entire state would be under a full quarantine for shipping agricultural products out of the state," Bryan Benson said, the deputy director of Florida Agriculture's division of plant industry.

A quarantine has been enacted to prevent the snails from popping up in other areas. The quarantined area is in a portion of the southwest region of the county.
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