A RETROSPECTIVE HISTOPATHOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CAPILLARIASIS IN RACCOONSFROM THE EASTERN UNITED-STATES

A 7-yr retrospective survey (1986-1993) of 193 raccoons (Procyon lotor ) from 4 different geographic locations (South Carolina, Virginia, and 2 sites in Pennsylvania) in the eastern United States was conducted b y histopathological examination of various tissues. Lesions indicative of capillariasis were observed in raccoons at all locations. An overa ll prevalence of 45% was recorded. Highest prevalence of nematodes in tissues (71%) was seen in the rural Pennsylvania site. Nematodes were confined to the mucosa of the anterior alimentary tract (mouth, tongue , esophagus) or urinary system (bladder, urethra) without significant inflammation except for a single raccoon in which Capillaria sp. were present in the tracheal mucosa and within the subjacent lamina propria , with moderate inflammatory cellular infiltrate.