Katharina Buczek
New York City officials are warning parents to be on high alert after small, parasitic worms were discovered in NYC parks.
The worms, known as Toxocara, live in the muscles and digestive systems of animals. Now, though, these little critters have been found in all five boroughs.
It is not easy or common for humans to contract the worms. However, they can be spread to humans by dog or cat feces.
In turn, medical experts are worried that children playing in NYC parks might consume the worms if they eat grass or dirt.
Most human infections do not cause symptoms.
But, more serious cases may result in rashes, abdominal pain, fever, coughing, and fatigue.
And in rare severe cases, Toxocara can travel to the eyes– resulting in neurological damage and blindness.
According to the CDC, about fourteen percent of the United States population has already been infected with this parasite. Seventy people, primarily children, ended up blind.
So far, the Bronx is the borough with the highest prevalence of Toxocara parasites by far, coming in at sixty-seven percent.
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