Can Slugs Kill You?

Snails and slugs may not look dangerous, but they can kill if they carry a parasitic nematode (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) known as the rat lungworm.

Are slugs harmful to humans?

Your typical garden slug is nontoxic, so you have nothing to worry about. They eat mostly fungi, decaying plant matter and plants, and there is no direct way they can cause harm to humans.

What do slugs do to humans?

Infected slugs and snails also transmit rat lungworms to humans. All known cases of rat lungworm disease are linked to slug and snail contact. Slugs and snails can contaminate garden produce with rat lungworm parasites.