In the event you had been on the lookout for a motive to maintain a flamethrower round the home, you might have simply discovered one.
This week, the Los Angeles County well being division reported that two individuals had been contaminated with a raccoon parasite that causes extreme, often deadly, infections of the eyes, organs, and central nervous system. Those that survive are sometimes left with extreme neurological outcomes, together with blindness, paralysis, lack of coordination, seizures, cognitive impairments, and mind atrophy.
The parasitic roundworm behind the an infection, referred to as Baylisascaris procyonis, spreads by way of eggs in raccoons feces. Grownup worms reside within the intestines of the masked trash scavengers, and every feminine worm can produce almost 200,000 eggs per day. As soon as within the atmosphere, these eggs can stay infectious for years. They will survive drying out in addition to most chemical therapies and disinfectants, together with bleach.
People get contaminated in the event that they inadvertently eat soil or different materials that has change into contaminated with egg-laden feces. Although infections are uncommon—there have been 29 documented circumstances between 1973 and 2015—youthful youngsters and other people with developmental disabilities are most in danger.
For example, an 18-month-old boy with Downs syndrome in Illinois died from the an infection after he chewed and sucked on items of contaminated firewood bark. An post-mortem later discovered three worm larvae per gram of his mind tissue, with a complete estimated burden of three,027 parasitic larvae, in accordance with a 2016 report.
Burn it down
In a information launch this week, the LA well being division stated the chance to most people is “low” however that the 2 circumstances are “regarding as a result of a lot of raccoons reside close to individuals, and the an infection charge in raccoons is probably going excessive. The confirmed circumstances of this uncommon an infection are an necessary reminder for all Los Angeles County residents to take precautions to stop the unfold of illness from animals to individuals, also referred to as zoonotic illness.”
Based on the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, among the finest prevention strategies for raccoon roundworms is to kill it with hearth. Whereas chemical compounds stand little probability of killing off infectious eggs, excessive warmth destroys them immediately.
In case you have raccoons round your property, you would possibly have to make use of this technique. Raccoons are inclined to poop in communal, pungent latrines, which are sometimes on the base of bushes, on raised surfaces—corresponding to tree stumps, woodpiles, decks, and patios—in addition to in attics and garages.
In the event you suspect you have got an out of doors raccoon latrine in your property, the CDC recommends dousing the world in boiling water or setting it ablaze. Whereas the CDC recommends a propane torch, particularly, a private flamethrower may additionally do the trick. The company does warning that flaming a latrine web site “may trigger a hearth, burn damage, or floor injury.”
“Earlier than flaming any latrine web site, name your native hearth division for particulars on native laws and security practices,” the CDC says. “Concrete pads, bricks, and metallic shovels or backyard implements could be flamed with out injury. Don’t try and flame surfaces that may soften or catch hearth.”
For indoor latrines, the CDC advises to not use hearth. As an alternative, it outlines a cautious cleansing technique with scorching, soapy water. Nevertheless, if you would like, any eliminated feces or contaminated materials could be flamed exterior, if not buried or put within the trash.