Open AccessBaylisascariasis: A young boy with neural larva migrans due to the emerging raccoon round worm
Author(s) -
Dunbar Mary,
Lu Sandy,
Chin Benetta,
Huh Linda,
Dobson Simon,
AlRawahi Ghada N.,
Morshed Muhammad G.,
Vanden Driessche Koen
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
annals of clinical and translational neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.824
H-Index - 42
ISSN - 2328-9503
DOI - 10.1002/acn3.694
Subject(s) - cutaneous larva migrans , medicine , raccoon dogs , serology , larva migrans , pathology , helminthiasis , veterinary medicine , immunology , antibody
A 17‐month‐old boy from Vancouver, Canada, presented with a 5‐day history of progressive somnolence, ataxia, and torticollis. Additional investigations revealed eosinophilic encephalitis with deep white matter changes on MR imaging. On day 13, serology came back positive for Baylisascaris procyonis antibodies. While prophylaxis after ingestion of soil or materials potentially contaminated with raccoon feces can prevent baylisascariasis, timely treatment can sometimes alter a disastrous outcome. Populations of infected raccoons are propagating globally, but cases of Baylisascaris neural larva migrans have so far only been reported from North America.