Baylisascaris procyonis PCR test for dogs and cats
dog and cat assay data sheet
Baylisascaris procyonis
Test code:
X0019 - Ultrasensitive qualitative detection of
Baylisascaris procyonis by
real time PCR
Baylisascaris
procyonis
infection has recently been recognized as an important and widespread
emerging helminthic infection of both animals and humans. Raccoons are
thought to be the most favorable host for this roundworm; reported
infection rates are as high as 70% in adult raccoons and can exceed
90% in juvenile raccoons. Due to the close interaction of raccoons
with human populations and pets, this parasite has increasingly been
recognized as a cause of severe human disease.
When raccoons ingest the eggs of this parasite the larvae hatch, enter
the wall of the small intestine and subsequently develop into adult
worms in the small bowel. These adult worms shed eggs into the
raccoon’s bowel. Although raccoons are not significantly affected by
these parasites, ingestion of the eggs by other suboptimal host
mammals (including rodents, birds, dogs and other domestic mammals)
results in extraintestinal migration of larvae, and notably invasion
of the brain. The migration of helminth larvae through tissue in
suboptimal hosts is termed larva migrans and may affect the viscera
(visceral larva migrans [VLM]), the eye (ocular larva migrans [OLM]),
or the nervous system (neural larva migrans [NLM].
B. procyonis
larvae have been found in more than 90 species of wild and domestic
mammals and birds, including dogs, chickens, pheasants, quail, guinea
pigs, domestic rabbits, rodents, porcupines, chinchillas, prairie
dogs, woodchucks, emus, foxes, weasels and primates. Outbreaks of
B. procyonis infestation have been reported on farms, in zoos,
among pets and in research animal colonies.
The risk of human
infestation by this parasite has risen alarmingly due to pets’ contact
with raccoon feces. Studies have shown that a single adult female worm
can produce hundreds of thousands of eggs per day, and an infected
raccoon may shed as many as 45 million eggs daily (Jacobson et al.,
1982; Kazacos and Boyce, 1989). These eggs can remain viable in the
environment for years. Accidental ingestion of the eggs by humans via
contact with infected domestic animals can lead to severe human
infection and death.
In the past, B.
procyonis infection was diagnosed by morphologic identification of
larvae in tissue sections. However, morphologic identification is
often difficult and unreliable because a number of possible larval
nematodes share very similar morphology, including Toxocara canis,
T. cati, Ascaris lumbricoides, and species of
Gnathastoma, Angiostrongylus and Ancylostoma, as
well as larval cestode infections such as cysticercosis and
echinococcosis. While serologic testing has been used in some cases as
supportive diagnostic evidence, commercial serologic tests are not
available. Presumptive diagnosis has often been made on the basis of
clinical data (meningoencephalitis, diffuse unilateral subacute
neuroretinitis [DUSN], pseudotumor), epidemiologic data (raccoon
exposure), radiologic data (white matter disease), and blood and CNS
eosinophilia.
However, molecular
detection techniques are now available to rapidly, sensitively and
specifically detect B. procyonis.
With this more advanced approach, preventive screening and
environmental surveys are possible, enabling identification of animal
carriers and even contaminated soils.
Utilities:
-
Help confirm the disease causing agent
-
Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical
diagnosis of Baylisascaris
infection
-
Help ensure that animal groups are free of
Baylisascaris
-
Early prevention of spread of
Baylisascaris between
animals
-
Minimize human exposure to
Baylisascaris
References:
Jacobson, J.E., Kazacos, K.R., and Montague, F.H. (1982) Prevalence of
eggs of Baylisascaris procyonis
(Nematoda:Ascaroidea) in raccoon scats from an urban and a rural
community. J Wildl. Dis. 18:461-464. Kazacos, K.R. and Boyce, W.M.
(1989) Baylisascaris larva migrans. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc.
195:894-903.
Specimen
requirement: 0.2 ml feces, or rectal swab, or 0.2 ml soil, or 0.2 ml tissue.
Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.
For all specimen
types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during very warm
weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship with a cold pack
unless more stringent shipping requirements are specified. Frozen
specimens should be shipped so as to remain frozen in transit. See
shipping instructions for more
information.
Turnaround
time:
2 business days
Methodology:
Qualitative real time
PCR
Normal range:
Nondetected
Baylisascaris procyonis PCR test for dogs and cats
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