Presentation
Large numbers of intact eosinophils were present in the brain around blood vessels and necrotic migration tracks and in mesenteric granulomata. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
In the present experiments we examined the ability of B. procyonis to cause ocular larva migrans (OLM) in subhuman primates, as an indication of its possible ocular zoonotic importance. [iovs.arvojournals.org]
Infective eggs of B. procyonis are present at raccoon latrine sites, and these sites may be important in the transmission of this parasite to syntopic small vertebrates in forested areas. [bioone.org]
Abstract The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of the raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris [B.] procyonis), a dangerous zoonotic pathogen for humans, in raccoons living in the federal state of Brandenburg, Germany. [cabi.org]
Entire Body System
- Asymptomatic
Limited information is available on the frequency of asymptomatic human infection. We tested 150 adults from California, USA, for B. procyonis antibodies; 11 were seropositive, suggesting that subclinical infection does occur. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Symptomatic infection in humans is relatively rare with less than 3 dozen cases reported; however, new University of Georgia research suggests there can be asymptomatic infections. [outbreaknewstoday.com]
The assay we used is the reference standard for clinical diagnosis but has not been used to test asymptomatic persons. [wwwnc.cdc.gov]
- Fever
He presented with fever, meningismus, lethargy, irritability and asymmetric spastic extremity weakness. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Clinical findings Skin irritation, respiratory distress, hepatomegaly and fever due to larval migration, nausea, lethargy, incoordination, blindness, encephalitis, blindness, death. [medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com]
Reemergence of Classical Swine Fever, Japan, 2018 [PDF - 791 KB - 4 pages] A. Postel et al. In September 2018, classical swine fever reemerged in Japan after 26 years, affecting domestic pigs and wild boars. [doi.org]
This time, the boy was admitted, and later that week, with a fever of 100.8 Farenheit, he was transferred to the University of California–San Francisco Medical Center a hundred miles away. [businessinsider.com]
Most of the limited number of reported human cases have occurred in boys, who present with an acute fulminant eosinophilic meningoencephalitis, with fever, ataxia, progressive lethargy, irritability, and somnolence. [cancertherapyadvisor.com]
- Veterinarian
Wildlife biologists, veterinarians, health officials, and researchers of B. procyonis should collect daily fecal samples for a minimum of 3 days before identifying a raccoon as negative for B. procyonis infection. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Copyright 2017 by American Association of Zoo Veterinarians Citation Download Citation Isabelle Desprez, Michael J. Yabsley, Susan B. Fogelson, Jill A. Hicks, Renee Barber, Izidora Sladakovic, Scott A. Secrest, Stephen J. [bioone.org]
Wild animals should not be kept as pets, and susceptible exotic animal hosts should be tested and treated by a veterinarian if indicated. [cdc.gov]
Baylisascaris procyonis larva migrans in a puppy: a case report and update for the veterinarian. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 1996 ; 32 : 73 – 6. PubMed Fitzgerald SD, White MR, Kazacos KR. [wwwnc.cdc.gov]
Thus, veterinarians, physicians, and public health officials need to be alert to the possibility of zoonotic Baylisascaris infection outside of traditional high-risk areas. [doi.org]
- Fatigue
Baylisascaris procyonis Raccoon roundworm Parasitology An intestinal parasite of raccoons, the eggs of which may be ingested by humans, hatch in the intestine and migrate through organs and muscles Clinical Nausea, fatigue, hepatomegaly, loss of muscle [medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com]
In June 2015, a male, aged 63 years from northern California was evaluated at a local hospital for a 2-week history of progressive memory impairment, loss of motor function, fatigue and confusion. [outbreaknewstoday.com]
- Fishing
Respiratoric
Gastrointestinal
- Geophagia
We recently encountered a toddler with geophagia and probable exposure to raccoon feces, who presented with eosinophilic meningitis and encephalitis, and was diagnosed with B procyonis infection and possible Toxocara co-infection. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Pica and geophagia are risk factors. Not only raccoons but also kinkajous, coatis, and other procyonids can harbor this roundworm. [cancertherapyadvisor.com]
Young children are at particular risk for infection if they place fecally contaminated objects or fingers into their mouths or have syndromes such as pica or geophagia. [outbreaknewstoday.com]
All patients were observed eating dirt or debris or sucking wood chips from contaminated areas or were known to exhibit pica or geophagia. Pica or geophagia is common in infants under 2 years of age ( 7 ). [doi.org]
Skin
- Larva Migrans
Larva migrans caused by Toxocara spp. is well known and is diagnosed serologically by enzyme immunoassay. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Neural larva migrans caused by the raccoon roundworm Baylisascaris procyonis. [scholars.northwestern.edu]
Eyes
- Visual Impairment
Ocular larval migrans leads to damage of the structures within/around the eye and visual impairment. Control Control via animal Control of raccoon numbers and restricting access to potential latrine areas by pet rabbits. [vetstream.com]
This can lead to visual impairment or blindness. Chorioretinitis, optic neuritis, or atrophy can result. Visceral larval migrans can occur from B. procyonis larvae and affects heart, lungs, mediastinum, bowel, and mesenteric lymph nodes. [cancertherapyadvisor.com]
Here, visual impairment or blindness results from widespread larval migration, with destruction of the visual cortex, or from larval migration within the eye itself. [doi.org]
- Retinal Pigmentation
[…] lesions and later by progressive visual loss, optic atrophy, retinal vessel narrowing, and diffuse retinal pigment epithelial degeneration.1,2 Baylisascaris procyonis, the common intestinal raccoon roundworm, is believed to cause DUSN and its potential [bjo.bmj.com]
Baylisascaris is now considered the most common cause of the large nematode variant of diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis (DUSN), a form of OLM associated with progressive monocular visual loss and changes in retinal pigmentation and optic nerve [doi.org]
- Strabismus
J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2011 ; 48 : 204 – 12. DOI PubMed Hung T, Neafie RC, Mackenzie IR. Baylisascaris procyonis infection in elderly person, British Columbia, Canada. Emerg Infect Dis. 2012 ; 18 : 341 – 2. [wwwnc.cdc.gov]
Psychiatrical
- Suggestibility
In many regions of North America, large populations of raccoons with high rates of endemic B. procyonis infection live in proximity to humans, which suggests that the risk of human infection is probably substantial. [scholars.northwestern.edu]
We tested 150 adults from California, USA, for B. procyonis antibodies; 11 were seropositive, suggesting that subclinical infection does occur. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Symptomatic infection in humans is relatively rare with less than 3 dozen cases reported; however, new University of Georgia research suggests there can be asymptomatic infections. [outbreaknewstoday.com]
Neurologic
- Cranial Nerve Involvement
Ultimately, loss of milestones and regression develop, leading to posturing, spasticity, paresis, seizures, and ocular or cranial nerve involvement. Mortality is high, and survivors almost always are severely disabled. [cancertherapyadvisor.com]
Over time there is regression and loss of developmental milestones, progression to extensor posturing, increasing spasticity with hemi- or quadriparesis, and ocular or cranial nerve involvement. [doi.org]
- Somnolence
Most of the limited number of reported human cases have occurred in boys, who present with an acute fulminant eosinophilic meningoencephalitis, with fever, ataxia, progressive lethargy, irritability, and somnolence. [cancertherapyadvisor.com]
Common early features include low-grade fever, ataxia, increasing lethargy, somnolence, and periods of increased irritability. [doi.org]
Workup
Epidemiologic Field Studies Field studies have played an important part in the diagnostic workup of several of the documented cases of B. procyonis NLM, have contributed greatly to our understanding of the epidemiology and pathogenesis of the condition [doi.org]
Microbiology
- Toxocara Canis
Closely related to Toxocara canis and Baylisascaris columnaris. Etymology Baylisascaris from Baylis the man who discovered the clinical signs were due to the nematode worm, and ascaris from Ascarid, a descriptive term for worms in this order. [vetstream.com]
Transmission risk can also occur when handling animals whose fur has been contaminated by infective raccoon eggs, as shown for Toxocara canis parasites and dog fur ( 13 ). [wwwnc.cdc.gov]
Comparative analysis of larval excretory–secretory antigens of Baylisascaris procyonis, Toxocara canis and Ascaris suum by Western blotting and enzyme immunoassay. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Other, more familiar ascarids are Ascaris lumbricoides, Toxocara canis, and Toxocara cati, nematode parasites of humans, dogs, and cats, respectively. Baylisascaris species are primarily parasites of lower carnivores. [doi.org]
- Toxocara Cati
Other, more familiar ascarids are Ascaris lumbricoides, Toxocara canis, and Toxocara cati, nematode parasites of humans, dogs, and cats, respectively. Baylisascaris species are primarily parasites of lower carnivores. [doi.org]
Treatment
Despite treatment with albendazole and high dose corticosteroids, both patients are neurologically devastated. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Prognosis
Prognosis Poor, profound neurologic impairment, partial paralysis, cotical blindness, developmental delay, etc. Management Deworming; possibly albendazole. [medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com]
One beaver died naturally and despite attempted treatment, the other beaver was euthanatized because of severe clinical signs and poor prognosis. [bioone.org]
Prognosis is very poor with or without treatment. The usual therapy includes antihelminthic agents plus steroids. [cancertherapyadvisor.com]
Once invasion of the central nervous system has occurred, the prognosis is grave with or without treatment. [doi.org]
Etiology
Etiology: Infection of rabbits occurs with the raccoon ascarid, Baylisascaris procyonis. Transmission: Transmission occurs by ingestion of bedding or hay contaminated with raccoon feces. [dora.missouri.edu]
It was concluded that B. procyonis larvae have marked ability to produce OLM in subhuman primates following oral infection and should be considered as a possible etiology in human ocular disease. [iovs.arvojournals.org]
ROCKET‘ Abstract Baylisascaris procyonis, the intestinal ascarid parasite of raccons (Procy- on lotor), has been implicated as an etiologic agent of human visceral larva migrans (VLM), central nervous system (CNS) disease, and ocular larva migrans (OLM [journals.ekb.eg]
Initial evaluation for etiologic causes was nondiagnostic. Serology for anti- Baylisascaris procyonis antibodies in serum and vitreous fluid were both positive. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of vitreous fluid was positive for HSV-2. [ajtmh.org]
Eosinophils are not normally present in CSF; their presence narrows the differential diagnosis of CNS disease and provides an early or the only etiologic clue. [doi.org]
Epidemiology
The pathologic, epidemiologic, and imaging features of this disease are herein reviewed. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Sorvillo is Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology, UCLA School of Public Health. His research interests include the epidemiology and control of infectious diseases, particularly parasitic agents. [wwwnc.cdc.gov]
ECOLOGY-EPIDEMIOLOGY-BEHAVIOR California has more reported human raccoon roundworm cases than any other state due to large and overlapping human and raccoon populations. [journalofparasitology.org]
Prevention
In the absence of effective treatment, prevention of infection remains the most important public health strategy. [scholars.northwestern.edu]
Investigating Potential Human Risk and Potential Preventive Measures of Exposure to Baylisascaris procyonis in Texas EPA Grant Number: U916239 Title: Investigating Potential Human Risk and Potential Preventive Measures of Exposure to Baylisascaris procyonis [cfpub.epa.gov]