CDC issues guidance for B. procyonis caused by roundworms in raccoons

The CDC recently provided guidelines for health care providers when caring for patients suspected to be infected with Baylisascaris procyonis, a roundworm associated with raccoons.Typically, raccoons are asymptomatic when infected with the parasite, but the larval form of B. procyonis can be fatal to humans or cause severe neurologic events if the condition is not promptly diagnosed and treated, according to the MMWR report.“Because there is no commercially available serologic test for baylisascariasis, a history of raccoon exposure and a high index of clinical suspicion are necessary to make the diagnosis,” Anita D. Sircar, MD, an epidemic intelligence service officer at the CDC, and colleagues wrote. “Serologic testing at CDC using a recombinant antigen rBpRAG1 immunoblot assay can aid in diagnosis by detecting Baylisascaris procyonis antibody in cerebrospinal fluid and serum; however, because the assay detects immunoglobulin G antibodies, it is not possible to distinguish current from previous Baylisascaris infection, and detected antibody might represent an earlier exposure.“Diagnosis of Baylisascaris procyonis ocular larva migrans is based on visualization of an appropriately sized larva in the eye, with or without serologic testing.”