Baylisascaris procyonis in the metropolitan Atlanta area.

Mark L Eberhard,Kimberly Y Won,Eva K Nace,Henry S Bishop,Stephanie P Johnston,George A Punkosdy

doi:10.3201/eid0912.020795

Mark L Eberhard, Kimberly Y Won + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3201/eid0912.020795

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Abstract

Highlights

Baylisascaris procyonis, the raccoon roundworm responsible for fatal larva migrans in humans, has long been thought to be absent from many regions in the southeastern United States
Baylisascaris procyonis was first described from specimens recovered from raccoons in Europe [1], the first report of raccoon infections with the worm came from New York in 1933 [2]
At least 11 additional cases of severe or fatal B. procyonis encephalitis have been identified in Illinois, California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Oregon [4]

Summary

Baylisascaris procyonis in the Metropolitan Atlanta Area

Baylisascaris procyonis, the raccoon roundworm responsible for fatal larva migrans in humans, has long been thought to be absent from many regions in the southeastern United States. During spring 2002, 11 (22%) of 50 raccoons trapped in DeKalb County, Georgia, had B. procyonis infection. Baylisascaris procyonis was first described from specimens recovered from raccoons in Europe [1], the first report of raccoon infections with the worm came from New York in 1933 [2]. As part of ongoing studies that use animal dracunculiasis (Dracunculus insignis) as a model for the study of human dracunculiasis, raccoons were examined for preemergent female D. insignis worms. The Study Raccoons (Procyon lotor) were trapped in residential areas by DeKalb County Animal Control personnel from March to June 2002, as part of the county’s nuisance animal abatement program. The number of worms recovered from individual animals ranged from 1 to 24, with a mean of 6.25 worms per animal; all worms were preserved

Conclusions

Findings

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