Zoonotic Baylisascaris procyonis Infection in Raccoons, Mississippi, USA, 2023–2024

Authors

• Bryan L. Huerta-Beltrán, University of Southern MississippiFollow
• Huan Zhao, James Cook University
• Stephen Mills, Mississippi College
• Joshua Berry, Mississippi College
• William Janous, Mississippi College
• Javian Ervin, Mississippi College
• Karleigh Butler, Mississippi College
• Aamani Kalluru, Mississippi College
• Fritz Valerio, Mississippi College
• Blake Stefano, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
• Trent Selby, Mississippi College
• Nicole M. Phillips, University of Southern MississippiFollow
• Steven Everman, University of Mississippi Medical Center
• Graham T. Rosser, Mississippi State University
• Charlotte V. Hobbs, The University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Richard S. Bradbury, James Cook University
• Scoty M. Hearst, Mississippi College

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-1-2025

School

Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences

Abstract

Baylisascaris procyonis, an emerging zoonotic parasite, causes clinically significant visceral, ophthalmologic, and neurologic disease in humans. We screened raccoons (n = 46) collected from central and southern Mississippi for B. procyonis by necropsy (13.0% prevalence) and droplet digital PCR of feces (26.7% prevalence). Further surveillance to determine raccoon infection rates throughout Mississippi is indicated.

Publication Title

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Volume

31

Issue

10

First Page

2013

Last Page

2016

Recommended Citation

Huerta-Beltrán, B., Zhao, H., Mills, S., Berry, J., Janous, W., Ervin, J., Butler, K., Kalluru, A., Valerio, F., Stefano, B., Selby, T., Phillips, N., Everman, S., Rosser, G., Hobbs, C., Bradbury, R., Hearst, S. (2025). Zoonotic Baylisascaris procyonis Infection in Raccoons, Mississippi, USA, 2023–2024. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 31(10), 2013-2016.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/22190