Human infection with raccoon roundworm is rare. You can't catch the infection from a sick person. You can get raccoon roundworm if you eat or drink anything tainted with an infected raccoon's feces.

The NYC Health Department recommends taking the following precautions:

• Remove open food and water containers from your yard
• Keep trash containers tightly closed
• Hire a licensed professional to trap raccoons living in the yard or home
• Supervise small children in areas where raccoons live to prevent possible ingestion of raccoon feces
• Pick up raccoon feces using gloves and disposable bags, and place in trash to keep from children
• Use boiling water to clean hard surfaces contaminated with feces

Learn more about Raccoon Roundworm Infection.

Download the NYC Health Department's Raccoon Roundworm fact sheet.