David:

Eating snails is not the cause of schistosomiasis.  There are a number of
good articles on the subject, including one listing areas where caution
should be taken, to be found with a Google search. The following paragraph
is from one of them. The "parasites" mentioned are more properly termed
cercaria.  Certain snails act as intermediate hosts and do not directly
transmit the disease.

Fresh water becomes contaminated by Schistosoma eggs when infected people
urinate or defecate in the water. The eggs hatch, and if certain types of
snails are present in the water, the parasites grow and develop inside the
snails. The parasite leaves the snail and enters the water where it can
survive for about 48 hours. Schistosoma parasites can penetrate the skin of
persons who are wading, swimming, bathing, or washing in contaminated water.
Within several weeks, worms grow inside the blood vessels of the body and
produce eggs. Some of these eggs travel to the bladder or intestines and are
passed into the urine or stool.

I do not think Tom has any associaton with the museum you mentioned but am
not positive.

Regards,

Dick Petit

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