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 Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) 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
