title: Severe and fatal central nervous system disease in humans caused by Baylisascaris procyonis, the common roundworm of raccoons: a review of current literature.
abstract: Baylisascaris procyonis, a parasitic infection of raccoons, causes severe neurologic disease in humans when infective eggs from raccoon feces are ingested. Definitive diagnosis is challenging, but can be made by isolation of larvae in brain biopsy or exclusion of other potential causes of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis. Prevention efforts are critical due to the lack of effective treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, UCLA School of Public Health, Center for Health Sciences, Room 41-297, 650 Charles E. Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA. mew01997@ucla.edu
authors.forename: Matthew E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Sorvillo
authors.forename: Shira C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Shafir
authors.forename: Lawrence R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Ash
authors.forename: O George
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Berlin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017191:Ascaridida Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001199:Ascaridoidea; D020809:Central Nervous System Helminthiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D011821:Raccoons / Q000469:parasitology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013045:Species Specificity