TORONTO - Canadian doctors are reporting two human infections with raccoon roundworm, a parasite many of the pesky critters carry in their guts and excrete in their feces.
Though rare, human infections with Baylisascaris procyonis (BAY'-liss-ASS-cahr-IS Pro-SIGH'-oh-NISS) can cause devastating brain damage in young children.
People who study the pathogen fear the surging numbers of raccoons in urban areas could lead to a rise in these cases.
The two cases reported in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases occurred around 2008 in Ontario and B-C.
But they represent only the second and third reports of Baylisascaris infections in Canada and are a warning to doctors to watch out for similar cases.
The infection can be treated effectively if caught immediately, but often the infection is only diagnosed after brain damage has occurred.
