Two people in Los Angeles County are sick with a rare parasitic infection known as raccoon roundworm, according to authorities.
The parasite, called Baylisascaris procyonis, was found in the South Bay, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The parasite can infect the brain, spinal cord and eyes, leading to eye disease and brain inflammation.
No further information was provided about the two infected people, including their current condition.
The risk to the general public is low at this time and infection is rare, but the news is still concerning because the infection rate in raccoons is high and a large number of raccoons live near people, officials said.
People can become infected by ingesting soil, dirt, water, or other material contaminated with raccoon feces, which may contain roundworm eggs. The infection is not spread from person to person.
Dogs and cats can also become infected if they come into contact with contaminated materials; cats cannot transmit the disease and dogs rarely do.
“Our health is closely connected to the health of the animals around us,” said Los Angeles County Health Officer Muntu Davis in the news release. “Simple precautions, such as washing hands regularly, avoiding direct contact with wild animals and their waste, keeping pets healthy, and preventing wildlife from sheltering or living in or near our homes or properties, can help keep our neighborhoods and families safe and healthy.”
Adults over 65, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for severe illness.
Authorities have encouraged people to always wash their hands, be on the lookout for zoonotic diseases, avoid animal bites and scratches, keep wildlife away, dispose of animal waste, not touch dead wildlife, handle food safely and keep their pets safe.
