Recently, Europe is on alert after a new study revealed the raccoon roundworm, Baylisascaris procyonis, has firmly taken hold in wild raccoons across nine countries.
About Raccoon Roundworm:
The raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) is the common large roundworm or ascarid found in the small intestinal tract of raccoons.
It infects raccoons in parts of North America, Europe and Japan and less commonly in South America.
The parasite is indigenous to North America and emerging in Europe and Asia after the introduction of North American raccoons for the commercial fur trade in the early 20th century.
It can cause severe disease in humans and other animals.
Primary Hosts of Raccoon Roundworm: Racoons (Procyon lotor), Wild and domestic canids
Transmission & Life Cycle of Raccoon Roundworm:
Infection occurs through ingestion of infective eggs or infected paratenic hosts.
Eggs passed in racoon faeces are shed in the environment and take 2-4weeks to embryonate and become infective.
Many mammals and birds can become paratenic hosts after consuming the eggs.
Once infective eggs are ingested, the eggs hatch and larvae penetrate the intestinal wall where they can migrate to various tissues (liver, lungs, eyes, and brain), and infect the host.
Treatment and Control: Raccoons can be successfully treated with several anthelmintics to kill the adult worms.
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