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Raccoon dogs have successfully spread throughout Europe, including Denmark. They serve as potential vectors and reservoir hosts for numerous zoonotic pathogens, posing a threat to the health of humans and animals. Raccoon dogs were examined for Alaria alata (Dunker’s muscle fluke) and Echinococcus multilocularis (fox tapeworm), Trichinella spp. (trichinosis, a nematode), as well as Toxoplasma gondii and tick-borne pathogens. The study conducted in Denmark demonstrates that raccoon dogs can act as significant reservoir hosts for zoonotic pathogens such as Toxoplasma gondii and Alaria alata.

Kjær LJ et al. (2021) The raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) as a reservoir of zoonotic diseases in Denmark. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 16:175–182

The raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyionoides) was identified for the first time in Austria from an infected raccoon. The parasite was detected in a two-year-old male raccoon that was killed on the road near Hittisau (Vorarlberg) in November 2019.

Duscher GG et al. (2021) A potential zoonotic threat: First detection of Baylisascaris procyonis in a wild raccoon from Austria. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases 68:3034–3037

The raccoon dog is a host and carrier for a variety of pathogens. Whether it is involved in the transmission of coronaviruses to humans is not yet clearly understood. In the present study, the authors sequenced the entire genome of the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) for the first time and found genetic evidence that it can transmit SARS-CoV-2. They identified the genes for two membrane proteins in the raccoon dog genome that can be targeted by SARS-CoV-2. One of the raccoon dog membrane proteins binds with greater affinity to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 compared to its counterparts in related species such as foxes and wolves, bats, and Asian pangolins.

Chueca LJ et al. (2021) De novo Genome Assembly of the Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides). Frontiers in Genetics 12:658256