Spread of the Zoonotic Nematode Baylisascaris procyonis into a Naive Raccoon Population

Abstract

The raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis), a gastrointestinal nematode of the raccoon (Procyon lotor), may cause a severe form of larva migrans in humans, which can lead to death or permanent neurological damage. Although roundworms were inadvertently introduced to Europe alongside their raccoon hosts, the parasite is not present in every raccoon population. It is important to understand the geographic distribution of B. procyonis, as early and rapid treatment can prevent severe pathologies in humans. We present evidence for the roundworm spreading into a naive raccoon population through natural dispersal of infected raccoons. We sampled 181 raccoons from Saxony-Anhalt, a German federal state containing contact zones of different raccoon populations, two of which were previously free of the parasite. We screened the raccoons for roundworms and used microsatellite-based assignment tests to determine the genetic origin of the raccoons and their parasites. We detected roundworms in 16 of 45 raccoons sampled in a previously roundworm-free area in the northern part of the state. The largest proportion of the genetic ancestry (≥ 0.5) of the 16 raccoon hosts was assigned to the previously naive raccoon population. Conversely, the genetic ancestry of almost all the roundworms was assigned to the nearest roundworm population in the southern part of the state. Infected raccoons have, therefore, spread to the north of the state, where they interbred with and infected local raccoons. It seems likely that the roundworms will continue to spread. Health authorities should consider continuous surveillance programmes of naive populations and raise public awareness.