Baylisascaris procyonis (Nematoda: Ascaridoidea) eggs in raccoon (Procyon lotor) latrine scats in Orange County, California

Baylisascaris procyonis is the common intestinal nematode of the raccoon and is well-recognized as a cause of visceral, ocular, and neural larva migrans in many species of wild and domestic birds and mammals, including humans. To develop data on the prevalence of B. procyonis in Orange County, California, 800 distinct raccoon latrine sites were sampled in 4 spatial zones from 15 January to 31 December 2000. Counts of fecal eggs per grain (EPG) were determined and evaluated with reference to spatial zone and season of collection. No significant differences in EPG were noted among, the spatial zones. However, EPG exhibited a significant rise (37,730 +/- 1,865) in the fall and a significant decline (26,204 +/- 1,446) in the winter (ANOVA, P = 0.045). The Overall egg prevatence was 100%, and the overall mean EPG was 30,265 +/- 867.