Fascioliasis, Heterophyiasis and other Fluke Diseases

Abstract

Three parasites belonging to the family Fasciolidae may cause serious disease in man and animals, and of these Fasciola hepatica is the most common and widely disseminated and gives rise to the condition known as Fascioliasis. Fascioloasis due to F. hepatica has been reported most frequently from South and Central America, especially in Peru where high infection rates have been recorded, the Caribbean Islands (Puerto Rico and Cuba), France, Eastern Europe including Russia, and the Levant. Sporadic cases are encountered in many European countries, North Africa and China, but it is very uncommon in North America and Australia. Small outbreaks and sporadic cases have been described in Great Britain (Facey and Marsden, 1960; Hardman et al., 1970; Ashton et al., 1970), in Hampshire, Shropshire, Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire, mostly areas where watercress grows wild. F. hepatica is primarily a parasite of sheep, cattle and goats, and is a very widespread veterinary disease in many parts of the world. A review of the disease in veterinary practice was given by Taylor (1964) . Man is only infected if he consumes water vegetation conveying the metacercarial stage of the parasite. The consumption of wild watercress is particularly dangerous where fascioliasis is endemic among sheep and cattle.