Protecting Your Toddler from Raccoon Roundworm (Baylisascaris)

For those of us living in the suburbs, creatures such as mice and raccoons are a part of the neighborhood much like the family pets. But we need to be aware that animals such as raccoons might be carriers of diseases as well. Rabies is a well known disease of wild animals. We've all heard of the importance of staying away from animals who are acting strangely or foaming at the mouth. What we may not be aware of is a lesser known disease carried by raccoons. That disease is caused by a type of roundworm known as bayliscaris or raccoon roundworm.

What Is It?
Many raccoons are infected with roundworm especially in the Midwest, Northeast and on the West coast. The roundworm is a parasite which lives in the infected raccoon's digestive system. Millions of the roundworm's eggs are eliminated in the infected raccoon feces each day.

Once eliminated the roundworm eggs can live outside the raccoon's body for years. But it is possible to remove the eggs before they reach the infectious stage. The roundworm eggs take 2-4 weeks to reach the stage where they can infect people and pets.

Though the disease is rare in people, it is a very destructive disease causing brain damage and blindness in those affected. Two cases were recently reported in NYC where an infant suffered permanent brain damage and a teen has experienced blindness in one eye.

The risk is highest with children especially toddlers who put their hands in their mouth and may also eat dirt or other things found on the ground.

Symptoms
The symptoms of the infection in people are nausea, fatigue, liver enlargement, loss of coordination and muscle control, lack of attention to people and surroundings which can progress to coma, blindness or other nervous system problems.

How Can It Be Prevented?
The eggs of the roundworm enter the body in one of two ways by either eating them or by inhaling the eggs. To decrease the risk of getting the raccoon roundworm it is important to avoid direct contact with raccoons and their environment.

This means not adopting raccoons as pets and minimizing human contact with the raccoons and the areas they live in. To discourage raccoons from setting up home in your back yard you need to remove access to food,and potential homes.

To minimize raccoons on your property check your attic and basement for any holes or areas where raccoons can enter. Keep trash containers tightly closed to avoid attracting raccoons. Consider removing fish ponds as the ponds encourage the raccoons to fish and drink the water. Also remove bird feeders as raccoons see the feeders as an alternative feeding source. Also if you have a sandbox then keep the sandbox covered when not in use. Sandboxes are very attractive litter boxes for the raccoons. Clear brush to discourage raccoons from nesting.

If you have had raccoons on your property avoid handling the feces with your bare hands. Raccoon feces can be found on woodpiles, decks, in garages, or at the base of trees. Fresh raccoon feces are round tubes with blunt ends.

To eliminate raccoon roundworm eggs, raccoon feces and other material that is contaminated, you need to carefully remove the feces and contaminated soil. This link tells how to go about safely disposing of the feces and soil. If you have any questions, you should call your local animal control department. You must wear gloves, mask and avoid tracking contaminated soil into your home.

Though the risk is low, as a parent you need to be aware of the potential problems that can harm your child. Being proactive about raccoon roundworm can save your child from a potentially devastating condition.