Baylisascaris, an intestinal raccoon roundworm, can infect humans and a variety of other animals . Raccoons establish community latrines — sites where they repeatedly deposit fresh feces that are very likely to contain the roundworm eggs. Once deposited in the environment, the eggs develop into the infectious form in 2-4 weeks and can survive in the soil for several years. If these infectious eggs are accidentally swallowed by humans, the larvae (immature stage of worms) hatch out of the eggs and may move into organs of the body causing serious disease. Symptoms of infection in people depend on how many eggs are ingested and where in the body the larvae migrate (travel to), such as the liver, brain, eye, or spinal cord. Symptoms may include tiredness, lack of coordination, loss of muscle control, blindness, and coma. Symptoms of infection usually take about a week to develop. If a person is suspected of having swallowed soil or other substances contaminated by raccoon feces, consult a health care provider immediately. Be sure to report the concern about recent exposure to raccoon feces to the health care provider. Early treatment can prevent infection and serious illness. Young children who play outside and developmentally disabled persons are at highest risk.
LeptospirosisLeptospirosis is a disease caused by Leptospira bacteria that are carried in the urine of rats, raccoons, and some other wild and domestic animals. Leptospirosis can occur in both people and a wide range of animals, including dogs. People and animals can get infected when water or soil contaminated with urine of infected animals gets on their skin, or in the nose, mouth, throat or eyes, or is swallowed. Dogs are at higher risk of infection because they often drink or lick water on the ground that can be contaminated; infected dogs can become severely ill or even die. Some people infected with leptospirosis will have no symptoms at all, and some people will become severely ill. Leptospirosis may cause influenza-like symptoms, severe head and muscle aches, high fever, and in some cases serious liver and kidney problems.
Athens, Ga. – A deadly raccoon parasite that can cause severe neurological problems in infected hosts has been popping up in the South, and seven new cases of human infection in the U.S. have been documented in the last two years alone.
Although this “raccoon roundworm” was believed to cause severe problems and even death in people who become infected, a new University of Georgia study shows that’s not always the case. Researchers found that people with frequent contact with raccoons who have a higher risk of becoming infected with Baylisascaris procyonis-such as wildlife rehabilitators-did test positive for the parasite but weren’t showing any symptoms.
“This suggests that not all infections with this parasite lead to severe disease,” said Michael Yabsley, a professor with the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study housed in the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine. “This is in contrast to what has been previously reported for most diagnosed patients.”
Yabsley, who also has a joint appointment with the UGA Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, worked with several other researchers on the new study, recently published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s journal, Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Baylisascaris procyonis can spread from raccoons to other wildlife, dogs or humans. Animals become infected by either rooting through raccoon feces containing the parasite eggs or eating an infected animal.
This parasite hasn’t been commonly found in the southeastern U.S., with most infections in the region being detected in raccoons in the Appalachian region. However, in recent years the parasite has been found throughout Florida and in parts of Georgia, and it recently caused the death of two beavers at an Athens-area zoo after raccoons entered and contaminated their enclosure with feces.
After an animal or person swallows Baylisascaris eggs, microscopic larvae hatch in the intestines and then move into the bloodstream, causing damage to tissues as they grow. Symptoms of an infection in humans include nausea, liver enlargement, loss of coordination, loss of muscle control and blindness.
Human infections are rare, but children or those who are more likely to ingest dirt or animal waste have a higher risk of acquiring the parasite. Those diagnosed with pica disorder, which compels people to eat substances that contain no nutrition, such as ice, dirt, hair or paint, are also at risk.
Raccoons have a tendency to treat porches and stacked firewood as a restroom, Yabsley said. People can touch the firewood or children can crawl through the animal waste and become infected after putting their contaminated fingers in their mouths.
Although there were only 22 confirmed cases of human infection of Baylisascaris between 1973 and 2010, another recently published study in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports reported seven new human cases diagnosed over just the past two years.
Yabsley is a co-author of this study as well.
Baylisascaris infections can be difficult to diagnose, especially if physicians do not know about a past exposure to items potentially contaminated with raccoon feces or when these cases occur in areas where the parasite is uncommon, Yabsley said.
The recent report in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly confirmed human Baylisascaris procyonis infections in California, Ohio, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Virginia. All the patients survived, Yabsley said, but some had severe neurological complications.
In the past, most human Baylisascaris infections proved fatal, but it is possible that more rapid diagnosis and treatment improved the outcomes of the recently reported cases. Regardless, raccoon roundworm can be extremely dangerous to humans, and the prognosis is typically poor.
Yabsley and other UGA researchers worked with the CDC to determine the prevalence of raccoon roundworm exposure for people who work closely and frequently with wildlife, particularly raccoons. Their results show that out of the 347 wildlife rehabilitators who participated in the study, 24 of them tested positive for Baylisascaris antibodies.
“This would seem to contradict the severe disease typically associated with Baylisascaris infection,” said Sarah Sapp, a graduate student working under Yabsley in UGA’s Department of Infectious Diseases. “But we believe that these presumably healthy adults were exposed to low numbers of eggs, in contrast with children who may ingest large numbers of eggs by ingesting raccoon feces or items contaminated with feces.”
Researchers could not determine how each of the rehabilitators was infected, although most said they had various degrees of contact with raccoons. However, researchers did find that those who tested positive had inconsistent use of gloves and handwashing, both of which can minimize the risk of transmission.
Because the parasite is acquired by ingesting raccoon feces, prevention of human cases is relatively easy. Avoid contact with raccoon waste, wear gloves when working with animals or their feces, and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. But this is a problem for young children, Yabsley said. They should be watched to ensure they do not put feces in their mouths while playing on porches, around wood piles, or in sand boxes.
Captive animals should be kept in enclosures that have not previously housed raccoons or can keep raccoons out. Also because this parasite can infect some exotic pets and domestic dogs, these animals should be regularly tested and dewormed.
If you have raccoons around your home in the Hamilton or Niagara areas, you might notice they are leaving their droppings everywhere – which is only natural for animals to do. You can leave the feces, thinking it will be washed away by the rain eventually, or you can take the time to go around and pick it up. With both options, there are dangers and potential risks, but before you decide which route you want to go, here’s what you need to know about raccoon feces around your home.
It’s probably not harmful
Despite what we might want to think, most of us come in to contact with raccoon (and other rodents) droppings pretty frequently. Most of the time, it is completely harmless as the quantity we’ve be exposed to isn’t enough to hurt us or make us sick in any way. In rare cases, though, if the raccoon is ill or has ingested some poison, it can transfer to humans and make us very sick.
Where are raccoon droppings found?
Raccoons are animals that frequently defecate before they enter their dens, which are often located in trees, under decks or even in sheds if accessible. The droppings will be found just outside these areas, so in gardens on the steps of a deck or around gardens.
When are raccoon droppings dangerous?
In rare cases, the droppings can contain rabies (if the raccoon is infected), but they can also contain viruses like canine distemper that affect your pets. If a raccoon is infected with canine distemper, it’s behaviour will change. When you see a raccoon out and foraging for food during the daytime and acting aggressively towards other animals or humans it might have this illness.
If your dog is digging around in your yard and ingests some of the droppings, your dog can become very sick.
The most severe threat about raccoon feces, though, is that raccoons are known to be the primary carrier for a parasite called Baylisascaris procyonis. This parasite is a type of roundworm that causes a severe condition for humans. For children or those with compromised immune systems, this kind of parasite can prove to be fatal. The roundworms can only survive when attached to an animal host, but the eggs are very tough and can withstand years in soil and still be viable. People may come into contact with old, decomposed raccoon feces without even knowing it.
How can you avoid contact with raccoon feces?
If you are working around the yard and aren’t sure if you have had raccoons around your home, always make sure to wear protective gear. Gloves, boots and even work coveralls can be helpful to make sure you don’t transfer any debris from the outside into your home. If you think you’ve found some raccoon droppings, put them in a bag and then double bag them. If you can, and your area permits it, burning the droppings is the best way to make sure the risk of parasites is destroyed. If you cannot burn them, burying them is also helpful, provided you bury the droppings at least 3 feet underground.
Finally, if you think you have raccoons living in your home or under your deck in Hamilton or Niagara, contact a professional to have them safely and humanely removed. For more information, contact Habitat Wildlife Control today.