BEIJING -- Two former "snail patients" have been readmitted to hospital in Beijing after showing symptoms related to a relapse of the disease caused by parasites in the snails.

Related readings: All "snail patients" in Beijing recovered

A patient surnamed Kong was discharged from hospital in September, but has again been hospitalized for suffering from a skin complaint, blurred eyesight and lung pain, the Beijing-based Jinghua Times reported Tuesday.

"I have to expose my upper body because my skin can not touch anything, even clothes," Kong was quoted as saying.

The other patient by the surname of Zhang was readmitted with headaches and limb pain. Both patients are being treated at the Friendship Hospital in Beijing.

The patients are believed to be displaying symptoms of angiostrongyliasis, a disease caused by parasites that affects the brain and spinal cord and can lead to meningitis, the newspaper quoted hospital doctors as saying.

Two "snail patients" had been rehospitalized in mid-October and they were discharged after receiving treatment at Beijing Union Hospital and Tongren Hospital.

A total of 160 people in Beijing contracted the parasitic disease after eating raw or undercooked snails since June 24. Most of them ate the snails at the Shuguo Yanyi Restaurant serving Sichuan-style dishes.

All patients were discharged from hospital before the National Day on October 1.