Description

Baylisascaris procyonis (pronounced: bail-iss-sas-caris pro-cyon-iss) or “raccoon roundworm” as it’s commonly referred to, is a parasitic worm. As one might guess, its name comes from the fact that raccoons are its main hosts. The parasites can infect more than just raccoons however with mammals, birds, and humans being especially susceptible.

The worms mature inside raccoons and lay up to 150,000 eggs in their small intestine daily. These eggs are then shed when they defecate. Even in the open environment, these eggs are incredibly resistant being able to withstand dry, cold, or hot environments and remain viable for several years.

Also, once shed the eggs are not immediately infectious. It can take up to 2-4 weeks for this to happen and once it does the eggs can also become airborne. This means that they can spread via breathing them in or getting them in the new host’s eyes even. A good indication of feces having the parasites/ eggs is them looking as if they’re covered in “cobwebs”.

Symptoms

Symptoms of host infection are very rare in raccoons. This is not the case for other animals and humans, however. Signs of infection vary based on where the parasites have taken up residence at which can include the intestines, brain, eyes, or lungs of an infected host. Some symptoms (especially in humans) can include lethargy, liver enlargement, loss of coordination, blindness, coma, loss of muscle control, trouble breathing, and lots more. There have even been fatalities associated with infection of the parasite, mainly when infection reaches the brain.

Treatment

Unfortunately, there are no widespread tests for the parasite, and infection is often determined via process of elimination.

Treatment once found however can range from quite easy to quite difficult depending on how severe a host is infected and where the infection has occurred. Cases of it in the brain are difficult to treat for example and are often the most damaging. Cases in the intestines however are much less difficult. Doctors will administer common antibiotics used to treat other parasites such as Albendazole or piperazine.

Prevention

Like the old saying goes, “an ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure!” This is definitely the case when dealing with raccoons and raccoon roundworm. While seemingly cute and cuddly, they are often carriers of some of nature’s worst diseases such as rabies, leptospirosis, salmonella, and more. This is why you should at all costs avoid them and leave it to the professionals to safely and effectively remove them. If you have or have had to come into contact with raccoons or their feces however there are a few things, you should do.

These include:

• Wash your hands after coming into contact with raccoons or their feces and anywhere the raccoon has even been around. There have been a few suspected cases from people even touching handrails the raccoon(s) traveled down.

• Don’t go into your attic while a raccoon infestation is suspected! An enclosed space such as a room, attic, or crawlspace provides the perfect opportunity for the virus to become airborne. Remember the parasites can be contracted by merely breathing them in or being in their presence.

• Keep raccoons from becoming a problem in the first place! Keep trash and scrap food up, keep your home’s infrastructure up to date, and eliminate outside water sources. These are all things one can do to help keep raccoons from a property.

Finally, if you find yourself needing to come into contact with raccoons, their feces, or any other wild animals, the simple answer is don’t! It is not only illegal to trap them yourself and relocate but also plain dangerous. Call the professionals at S-Tier Wildlife Control anytime at 859-492-6284. We not only have the proper equipment and personal protective equipment to deal with nuisance wildlife but also the expertise.