The man who ate a garden slug eight years ago dies of the worm of the lung

In Australia, a man died as a result of a lung rat invasion caused by a garden slug that he had eaten for eight years earlier.

Sam Ballard, a promising rugby player, died at the age of 27 after developing a series of complications of the disease.

Ballard was 19 in 2010 when he and friends were drinking wine with his friends in a garden. "We were sitting here spending a night of red wine appreciation, trying to act like an adult and a slug came crawling here," his friend Jimmy Galvin told news.com.au.

"The conversation has begun, you know. "Should I eat it?" And Sam left. Stroke. That's how it happened.

The following days, Ballard began to have sore legs and he was worried that the slug was the cause. After consulting the doctor, he was told that he had rat lung worm, or angiostrongylosis. It is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It is caused by a roundworm parasite that in adults is normally found only in rodents. However, an infected rodent can transmit the larvae through the feces, slugs and snails are sometimes infected if they feed on the larvae.

How the rat lung worm infects humans. Hawaii Department of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

According to the CDC, most cases of rat lungworm resolve over time without the need for treatment. However, in some cases, serious complications can occur, resulting in brain damage and death.

In Ballard's case, he contracted eosinophilic meningoencephalitis, a type of meningitis caused by the rat lungworm. He has fallen into a coma for over a year. Upon waking, the doctors discovered that he was suffering from a brain injury.

In the following years, Ballard's friends and family tried to help his recovery through physiotherapy, but the consequences of the disease continued. His case was put in the spotlight last October when the family announced the removal of the disability benefit received by Ballard. After the campaign, the government's decision was reversed.

Lisa Wilkinson, who presents the Australian TV show The Sunday project, Announced Ballard's death: "We have sad news for you now," she said. "Earlier this year, we told you the story of Sam Ballard who, to the surprise of his classmates, ate a slug. He contracted lung disease in rats with devastating effects.

"His friends have stayed with him ever since. On Friday, Sam passed away, surrounded by his family and faithful companions in love. His last words to his mother: "I love you."

Rat lungworm cases that become fatal are rare. In the United States, the disease is most common in Hawaii, with few cases reported in continental states.