Which statement about Baylisascaris procyonis eggs is true?

Which statement about Baylisascaris procyonis eggs is true?

• A. They are shed in the feces of raccoons
• B. They are harmless to humans
• C. They can complete their lifecycle outside a host
• D. They are commonly found in dog feces

Answer: (A)

Baylisascaris procyonis eggs are shed in raccoon feces, which is the key environmental source of infection. Raccoons contaminate areas with latrines where their feces accumulate, and the eggs become infectious after embryonation in the environment. Humans can ingest these eggs accidentally, and the resulting larval migration can cause serious, sometimes severe, disease, especially in children. That makes the statement about being shed in raccoon feces true and highlights why handling raccoon latrines requires proper protective measures and decontamination. The other statements don’t fit: the eggs are not harmless to humans, since ingestion can lead to serious disease; they don’t complete their lifecycle outside a host (they require a mammalian host to mature and reproduce, with humans being accidental hosts); and they are not commonly found in dog feces, as the parasite is associated with raccoons rather than dogs.

Baylisascaris procyonis eggs are shed in raccoon feces, which is the key environmental source of infection. Raccoons contaminate areas with latrines where their feces accumulate, and the eggs become infectious after embryonation in the environment. Humans can ingest these eggs accidentally, and the resulting larval migration can cause serious, sometimes severe, disease, especially in children. That makes the statement about being shed in raccoon feces true and highlights why handling raccoon latrines requires proper protective measures and decontamination.

The other statements don’t fit: the eggs are not harmless to humans, since ingestion can lead to serious disease; they don’t complete their lifecycle outside a host (they require a mammalian host to mature and reproduce, with humans being accidental hosts); and they are not commonly found in dog feces, as the parasite is associated with raccoons rather than dogs.