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Visceral larval migrans is a condition that tends to be associated with heavily parasitized pets, poor hygiene, and an extremely unsanitary environment. With good sanitation and proper veterinary care, you're very unlikely to see these conditions in laboratory workers.

In cutaneous larval migrans, the parasite eggs are shed in the feces of the host, e.g., dogs, cats, other carnivores.The larvae develop from eggs that are shed and land in a favorable environment, i.e., warm temperature, high humidity. Man, again, is an aberrant host, in which the infective larvae cannot complete their development cycle to become adults. The infective larva produces a pruriginous papule upon penetrating the skin. In the days that follow, the larva travels around in the germinal layer of the skin, producing sinuous tunnels. This migration, along with the tissue reaction, causes intense pruritus.

Enteric bacteria, such as Campylobacter, are common in dogs and cats, especially in puppies and kittens. These agents are discussed in a separate information sheet.

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