Raccoon Roundworm Treatment

General information

• Raccoon roundworm is very common in the raccoon population; it is estimated that as much as 70 to 90 percent of the raccoon population is infected. Infected raccoons have been found throughout the United States.

  Raccoons are infected by the roundworm by ingesting the eggs when they are foraging for food, or grooming, and also by eating infected rodents, birds or rabbits. Once the eggs are ingested, larvae hatch and attach themselves to the walls of the raccoons intestines. When the larvae mature into adult roundworms, they are capable of releasing millions of eggs, which are then passed from the body in the raccoon feces. Raccoon roundworms have been found in more than 90 different wild and domestic animals. Fatal outbreaks of a central nervous disease caused by B. procyonis have been documented in zoos, on farms and in research facilities.

B. Procyonis in Humans

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has listed B. procyonis as an Emerging Infectious Disease (EID) and has recognized this as a cause of serious or fatal larva migrans disease (a larval worm, usually a nematode, that wanders in the host tissues but does not develop to the adult stage) in humans and animals. Although only a few cases have been documented in humans, doctors at the CDC believe that this infection is routinely misdiagnosed and that the number of actual infections may be much higher. Although less than 25 cases have been reported since 2003; five of these cases have resulted in death

  Humans who are exposed to raccoon feces are at risk for contacting B. procyonis; young children face an increased risk because they have a habit of putting objects and fingers into their mouth. Once the eggs are ingested by humans, the eggs hatch and begin to travel throughout the body. The larva may travel to the spinal cord, the brain, the eyes or other organs. The severity of the symptoms has a direct correlation to the number of eggs ingested; the fewer eggs ingested the less symptoms will be present.
  It can take up to a week or more after exposure to B. procyonis for symptoms to appear.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of B. procyonis infection may include nausea, fatigue, loss of muscle control, liver enlargement, uncoordinated movement, disinterest in people and surroundings, coma and blindness.

Diagnosis

• B. procyonis infection is difficult to diagnose in humans and is routinely misdiagnosed according to the (CDC). Although serum blood panels and complete blood counts can help to determine if a parasite is present, they are non-specific and cannot establish with certainty that the infection is indeed B. procyonis. Tissue biopsies can be beneficial in determining an infection, however obtaining these biopsies is difficult and may require invasive surgical procedures. Examination of the eye tissue is the best method for detection if there are migrating larva or lesions present. There is a specific serologic test to test for the presence of B. procyonis, however it is not widely used or available. Many times B. procyonis infection is diagnosed after other infections are ruled out.

Treatment

• There is no specific treatment for humans infected with the raccoon roundworm. Lasers have been used successfully in the eye, but the damage caused by the infection is irreversible. Even if a treatment is found, the damage caused by the raccoon roundworm is permanent.

Prevention/Solution

• Raccoons pick an area to use as a latrine (bathroom) and use this area on a regular basis. Since it takes two to four weeks for the eggs in the feces to become infective, routine cleaning of suspected latrines should be done on a daily basis. When cleaning areas that may have been contaminated with raccoon feces, such as haylofts, fireplaces and attics, use disposable gloves and a dust mask. Removed material must be burned and clothing must be sanitized. Remember eggs can live for years in the environment and are resistant to disinfectants.