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If a person is infected with the raccoon roundworm Baylisascaris procyonis, this can lead to larva migrans with serious consequences. These include a. o. neurological problems, which can lead to death under certain circumstances. This parasite is spread by the raccoon, which is invasive in Europe. In order to investigate the occurrence in raccoon populations in France, a total of 300 raccoons were examined between 2011 and 2021. For the first time, three B. procyonis organisms were detected in a juvenile raccoon near the Belgian and Luxembourg borders. It is still unclear how the human pathogenic nematode was introduced into the otherwise uninfected population and what consequences this could have in the future.

Umhang G, et al. 2024. Surveys on Baylisascaris procyonis in two of the three French wild raccoon populations. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 23, 100928. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.100928

Since 2019, the raccoon dog has been listed as an invasive species of Union concern and is suspected of having a negative impact on native biodiversity and endangering human and animal health. In this study, 73 raccoon dogs from Germany were examined for their parasitization and diet. Twenty parasite species were identified, six of which have human pathogenic potential, e.g. Echinococcus multilocularis. Predation on a large number of animals was also demonstrated, including protected species such as the grass frog. In addition, a connection between nutrition and parasitization could be deduced.

Schantz AV, Dörge, DD, Peter N, Klimpel S (2023). The hidden threat: Exploring the parasite burden and feeding habits of invasive raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in central Europe. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 22, 155–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.10.004

The raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides, which originates from Asia, is an invasive species that is increasingly spreading in Europe. This is associated with the risk of introducing and spreading various pathogens, such as the fox tapeworm or Trichinella. The aim of this study from Romania was to investigate the occurrence of Trichinella larvae in tanuki found there by artificially digesting muscle tissue and amplifying and sequencing larvae using multiplex PCR. As a result, Trichinella britovi was detected for the first time in raccoon dogs in Romania, confirming the role of the raccoon dog as a vector for pathogens.

Marin AM, et al. 2023. The First Identification of Trichinella britovi in the Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in Romania. Pathogens 12, 1132. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12091132