During 1997, gross and histopathologic examinations were performed on an adult female raccoon (Procyon lotor) that was live-trapped in Corvallis, Oregon. Multifocal eosinophilic granulomas indicative of neural and visceral larva migrans were observed. However, within these granulomas, the presence of parasitic larva was seen only in the cerebrum. Morphologic characteristics indicated that the nematode was an ascarid larva. However, it was smaller than the larva of Baylisascaris sp. This appears to be the first documented case of cerebral larva migrans in a raccoon.
BowmanDD:
Diagnostic morphology of four larval ascaridoid nematodes that may cause visceral larva migrans:Toxascaris leonina, Baylisascaris procyonis, Lagochilascaris sprenti andHexametra leidyi.
J Parasitol73: 1198–1215, 1987
2.
DouvresFWTrombaFGMalakatisGM:
Morphogenesis and migration ofAscaris suum larvae developing to fourth stage in swine.J Parasitol55: 689–712, 1969
3.
HamirAN:
Capillariasis of the anal sacs of raccoons ( Procyon lotor), and a possible association with anal sac impaction.
J Vet Diagn Investig10: 371–373, 1998
4.
HamirANHeidelJRPictonRARupprechtCE:
Neuronal vacuolation in raccoons ( Procyon lotor).
Vet Pathol34: 250–252, 1997
5.
HamirANSnyderDEHanlonCARupprechtCE:
A trematode (Phagicola sp.)-induced mesenteric lymphadenitis and enteritis in raccoons ( Procyon lotor).
Vet Pathol30: 373–376, 1993
6.
KazacosKRBoyceWM:
Baylisascaris larva migrans.J Am Vet Med Assoc195: 894–903, 1989
7.
NicholsRL:
The etiology of visceral larva migrans, II: comparative larval morphology of Ascaris lumbricoides, Necator americanus, Strongyloides stercoralis and Ancylostoma caninum.J Parasitol42: 363–399, 1956
8.
OrihelTCAshLR:
Parasites in Human Tissue, p. 386.
ASCP Press, Chicago, IL, 1994
9.
SnyderDE:
The prevalence, cross-transmissibility to domestic animals and adult structure of Baylisascaris procyonis (Nematoda) from Illinois raccoons (Procyon lotor). PhD Diss., University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 1983
10.
SnyderDSandersonGCToivio-KinnucanMBiagburnBL:
Sarcocystis kirkpatricki n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) in muscles of raccoons ( Procyon lotor) from Illinois.
J Parasitol76: 495–500, 1990
