Dog waste parasite leaves schoolboy blind in one eye

Cameron Clarke, 14, contracted the rare parasite Toxocara canis through contact with infected dog faeces last year, leading to the loss of central vision in his left eye.

Cameron’s father Michael told the Times:“My mother-in-law noticed something different about my son’s eye and suggested that he go to an optician to have it checked.

“During the test, the optician noticed that my son had difficulty reading using his left eye. Further examinations showed that he had significant scarring to the rear of his eye.

“We were referred to the Royal Victoria Hospital that same day and after waiting for the test results for a few weeks, our worst fears were realised - his eyesight was severely damaged and he was confirmed as being blind in his left eye.

“We have no idea where our son picked up the infective Toxocara eggs. He could have picked it up from anywhere. This news has had a terrible impact on our family, especially our son who already has a number of other health conditions. We don’t want another family to go through what we have and would urge all dog owners to worm their animals regularly and to clean up after their dog.”

Meanwhile, Carrickfergus Borough Council confirmed it is intensifying efforts to educate the public in relation to dog fouling, particularly the potential serious health implications derived from coming into contact with dog faeces.

“[We] continue to carry out patrols and other initiatives to encourage responsible dog ownership by the borough’s citizens,” a statement from the local authority read.

“Whilst Carrickfergus Borough Council acknowledges that dog faeces can pose a significant health risk to humans, it is keen to reassure the public that blindness caused by the Toxocara roundworm is relatively uncommon in this part of the world; statistics indicate that there were no known cases reported in Northern Ireland between 2003 and 2012.

“Carrickfergus Council regularly patrols the borough in order to identify individuals littering or failing to clean up after their dog.

“Catching individuals who do not clean up after their dogs can be extremely challenging but those caught can face a fixed penalty fine of up to £50 or a maximum fine of £500, if prosecuted.”

Meanwhile, the local authority plans to take to the streets with volunteers in the coming weeks to promote the message that irresponsible dog ownership will not be tolerated. “Dog owners need to realise that dog fouling is a terrible blight on our town. Worse still, there is the possibility that if the dog has not been wormed that the faeces can carry infective Toxocara eggs which, if ingested, can cause blindness, particularly in children due to their weaker immune systems,” the spokesperson added.