Raccoon roundworm infection occurs in humans by accidentally ingesting or inhaling raccoon roundworm eggs from soil, water, hands or other objects that are already contaminated with raccoon feces. Lifecycle of this worm is similar to that of any other roundworm. When the worm is ingested by raccoons, it enters the intestine, grows, matures and develops into an adult worm. The worm then produces eggs that are released into the environment through the feces of the animal. Per day, a female worm can produce up to one million eggs. When these eggs are ingested by humans, the eggs migrate to the intestine, hatch and release roundworm larva. These larvae can then migrate to various tissues in the human body and cause disease that can be fatal. Infants and young children are at higher risk of acquiring the disease. Apart from them, hunters, trappers, taxidermists and wildlife rehabilitators are also at increased risk of getting the infection as they handle raccoons.

In case of humans, disease caused by raccoon roundworms is asymptomatic. Two most important diseases that occur in humans as a result of this infection include the visceral larval migrans and the ocular larval migrans. Visceral larval migrans is the infection of internal organs like liver, brain and spinal cord causing serious tissue damage and death. Other symptoms include liver enlargement, nausea, and lethargy, loss of muscle control, coma and incordination. Ocular larval migrans is highly common in case of raccoon roundworm infection where the roundworm migrate to the eye, damage the retinal lining and cause permanent blindness.

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