Baylisascaris procyonis
From IDWiki
- Nematode found in raccoon feces, known as the raccoon roundworm
Background
Microbiology
Life Cycle
- Direct life cycle involves raccoons (Procyon lotor)
- Indirect life cycle can involve other vertebrates, including humans
Epidemiology
- Eggs can be ingested from soil contaminated by raccoon feces
- The worm can infect a number of vertebrate animals
- Present in North America, Europe, Japan, and possibly South America
Clinical Manifestations
- Spectrum of infectious syndromes, including asymptomatic infection
- Visceral larva migrans, causing eosinophilia and symptoms associated with whichever organs are involved
- Neural larva migrans, which is essentially visceral larva migrans of the brain
- Ocular larva migrans, presenting with vision loss
- Diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis
Management
- Ocular larva migrans: laser therapy ± concurrent albendazole
- Neurological larva migrans: albendazole and praziquantel for a long duration, ± corticosteroids
- Poor outcomes
Further Reading
- Update on Baylisascariasis, a Highly Pathogenic Zoonotic Infection. Clin Microbiol Rev/ 2-16;29(2):375-399. doi: 10.1128/CMR.00044-15
