Baylisascariasis

Baylisascariasis is a rare but serious parasitic infection caused by Baylisascaris procyonis, a roundworm that normally lives in the intestines of raccoons. Humans, especially young children, can become infected by accidentally swallowing the parasite's eggs from soil or objects contaminated with raccoon feces. Unlike in raccoons, the larvae in a human host do not stay in the intestine but migrate through body tissues, and if they reach the eye or the brain and spinal cord they can cause serious and sometimes fatal damage, a pattern known as larva migrans. Because effective treatment is difficult once larvae have invaded the nervous system, prevention through avoiding contact with raccoon droppings and prompt cleanup of raccoon latrines is the primary public health response.