There is a hidden and potentially dangerous creature lurking in our community right now. It lives in the intestinal tract of the friendly neighborhood trash panda, aka the raccoon. A shocking 80-90 percent of Isla Vista raccoons providea home to Baylisascaris procyonis, or the raccoon roundworm.
It’s no secret that I.V. has a vast population of raccoons. Their presence is so common that the raccoon has become a symbol of UCSB and IV culture (check out manziraccoons). Because raccoons are meant to be the final host to this roundworm, the parasite is harmless to them. However, if accidentally ingested by the wrong host, Baylisascaris can cause serious illness and even death.
The CDC provides a non-exhaustive list of inconspicuous symptoms caused by raccoon roundworm infections, such as nausea, tiredness, and lack of attention.