Exploratory Molecular Screening for Herpesvirales and Baculoviridae in Terrestrial Gastropods from Italy

Snail farming in Italy has experienced steady growth in recent years, driven by increasing demand in the food and cosmetic sectors. The most commonly reared species include the garden snail (Cornu aspersum) and the Roman snail (Helix pomatia). Despite the occurrence of disease and high mortality outbreaks in snail farming, the aetiological agents remain poorly characterised. To date, no confirmed viral infections have been reported in terrestrial gastropods, although viral sequences have been detected in metagenomic studies and virus-like infections have been described in the Mediterranean snail (Theba pisana). This study investigated the presence of Herpesvirales and Baculoviridae in terrestrial edible snails from three Italian regions, including two farmed species (C. aspersum and H. pomatia) and one wild species (Eobania vermiculata). A total of 81 individuals yielded 83 biological matrices (50 foot tissue and 33 haemolymph) which were analysed by PCR. Neither herpesviruses nor baculoviruses were detected. These findings represent the first targeted investigation of these viral groups in Italian terrestrial edible snails and provide baseline data for future virological surveillance. Further studies are needed to characterise viral diversity, assess its epidemiological relevance, and clarify potential implications for snail health and farming systems.