Severe and fatal central nervous system disease in humans caused by Baylisascaris procyonis, the common roundworm of raccoons: a review of current literature.

Baylisascaris procyonis, a parasitic infection of raccoons, causes severe neurologic disease in humans when infective eggs from raccoon feces are ingested. Definitive diagnosis is challenging, but can be made by isolation of larvae in brain biopsy or exclusion of other potential causes of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis. Prevention efforts are critical due to the lack of effective treatment.

Examination of Bottled Water for Nontuberculous Mycobacteria.

The objective of this study was to examine bottled water for the presence of nontuberculous mycobacteria as a potential source of infection in AIDS patients. Twenty brands of bottled water commonly used in the Los Angeles area were tested for the presence of nontuberculous mycobacteria. The three brands most commonly used in the Los Angeles area were tested most frequently. Sixty-nine samples were filtered and the filters were treated using cetylpyridinium chloride, sodium hydroxide, or oxalic acid (or a combination of these) as decontaminants to remove background flora. An aliquot of each sample was untreated. The filters were placed on selective Middlebrook 7H10 agar plates containing 500 µg of cycloheximide per ml. Plates were examined at 3 and 8 weeks. No acid-fast organisms were found. Although no nontuberculous mycobacteria were observed in any samples tested, before recommending the use of bottled water as an alternative to tap water by high-risk patients, the possible presence of other contaminants must be considered.