Raccoon disease boy battles blindness <http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/442103>http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/442103
September 29, 2008 Jon Wells The Hamilton Spectator (Sep 29, 2008) A toddler suffering from raccoon roundworm disease has battled blindness and other neurological effects of the parasite in McMaster Children's Hospital for the past two weeks. The boy's parents, Danielle and Josh, called The Spectator with an update on his condition but asked that their last names and the name of their son not be published. They say their 14-month-old seems to be gaining some strength from treatment at Mac, but he is still completely blind and cannot sit up on his own. The disease can be contracted by ingesting roundworm eggs found in raccoon feces. It's potentially fatal. "It's very difficult seeing him like this," said Josh. "He's fighting and is in better spirits than he was ... the treatment they have him on is keeping it at bay -- keeping it from killing him." Josh had a message for parents: Keep your garbage in tightly sealed containers to deter raccoons from coming around your home. He said the city's public health department found 30 to 35 samples of raccoon feces in their back yard. Josh purchased garbage containers after his son's illness. Prior to that he had used regular garbage bags on their back porch. Roundworm is commonly found in raccoon feces in up to 80 per cent of the animal's population, although infection rarely causes symptoms in the raccoons themselves. What is much less common is the rate of infection in people. Fewer than 25 cases have been reported in the United States and Canada since the first case was documented in 1984. A Canadian boy was diagnosed with it last year. Anyone with close exposure to raccoon feces is at risk, but young kids with a history of eating dirt are most at risk. People can also become infected if ingesting the roundworm eggs in anything contaminated by raccoon feces, such as water or other objects. Dogs may become infected if they eat a smaller animal that has been infected. Danielle and Josh said they didn't actually see their son eat dirt or feces. They believe the city should take steps to crack down on the raccoon population in the city. Symptoms of the disease in people can take a week to develop. Early symptoms are weakness, deteriorating speech and behavioural changes and irritability. For more information go to this link at the Centres for Disease Control: <http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/baylisascaris/factsht_baylisascaris.htm>http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/baylisascaris/factsht_baylisascaris.htm <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED] 905-526-3515 <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/>Holy Postage ~ Share your faith <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.flickr.com/groups/holypostage/>Holy Postage on <http://www.flickr.com/groups/holypostage/>Flickr <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://holypostage.mofuse.mobi/>Holy Postage on your Mobile <*}}}>< Holy Postage ~ Share your faith <http://holypostage.mofuse.mobi/> Lord, may everything we do begin with Your inspiration and continue with Your help, so that all our prayers and works may begin in You and by You be happily ended. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/>Holy Postage ~ Share your faith <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.flickr.com/groups/holypostage/>Holy Postage on <http://www.flickr.com/groups/holypostage/>Flickr <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://holypostage.mofuse.mobi/>Holy Postage on your Mobile <*}}}>< Holy Postage ~ Share your faith --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Please note that I do not send or open attachments sent to this list. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Catholics on Fire" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Catholics-on-Fire May the blessing of Jesus and our Blessed Mother be with you -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
