Spread of the Zoonotic Nematode Baylisascaris procyonis into a Naive Raccoon Population.

ABSTRACT: The raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis), a gastrointestinal nematode of the raccoon (Procyon lotor), may cause a severe form of larva migrans in humans, which can lead to death or permanent neurological damage. Although roundworms were inadvertently introduced to Europe alongside their raccoon hosts, the parasite is not present in every raccoon population. It is important to understand the geographic distribution of B. procyonis, as early and rapid treatment can prevent severe pathologies in humans. We present evidence for the roundworm spreading into a naive raccoon population through natural dispersal of infected raccoons. We sampled 181 raccoons from Saxony-Anhalt, a German federal state containing contact zones of different raccoon populations, two of which were previously free

SUBMITTER: Heddergott M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10757695 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature