Characteristics of fasciola hepatica
What is the characteristic manifestation of Fasciola hepatica?
During both phases of the infection, clinical features can include fever, malaise, abdominal pain, eosinophilia, hepatomegaly (an enlarged liver), and abnormal liver tests.
What are the characteristics of liver fluke?
The body of liver flukes is leaf-like and flattened. The body is covered with a tegument. They are hermaphrodites having complete sets of both male and female reproductive systems. They have simple digestive systems and primarily feed on blood.
What is the classification of Fasciola hepatica?
Fasciola hepatica – Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Class | Trematoda |
| Subclass | Digenea |
| Order | Echinostomida |
| Genus | Fasciola |
What is Fasciola hepatica morphology?
Morphology. Adult F. hepatica measure up to approximately 30 mm by 13 mm and have distinct “shoulders” immediately behind the cone-shaped anterior part of the body. The tegument of the fluke is covered with sharp spines.
What is the primary host of Fasciola hepatica?
Fasciola Hepatica is a digenetic parasite. It completes its life history in sheep and fresh water snail. sheep is the primary host and snail acts as an intermediate host.
What does fluke worm look like?
The symmetrical body of a fluke is covered with a noncellular cuticle. Most are flattened and leaflike or ribbonlike, although some are stout and circular in cross section. Muscular suckers on the ventral (bottom) surface, hooks, and spines are used for attachment.
What does Fasciola hepatica cause?
Fascioliasis is a zoonotic infection caused by Fasciola hepatica. Humans can become accidental hosts of this parasite by ingesting contaminated drinking water or plants in endemic area. The north of Iran is one of the regions. This disease is rarely seen with jaundice caused by obstruction of the biliary tree.
What are the differences between Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica?
gigantica are longer but narrower, with a smaller shoulder, more anterior testes, larger ventral sucker and shorter cephalic cone compared to F. hepatica. In addition, the branching pattern of the caeca, ovary and testes is different in both species. The eggs are similar in shape, but are slightly larger in F.
How is Fasciola hepatica diagnosed?
Fascioliasis is infection with the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica, which is acquired by eating contaminated watercress or other water plants. Clinical manifestations include abdominal pain and hepatomegaly. Diagnosis is by serology or detection of eggs in stool, duodenal aspirates, or bile specimens.
How do you know if you have liver flukes?
Untreated, infections may persist for up to 25–30 years, the lifespan of the parasite. Typical symptoms include indigestion, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or constipation. In severe cases, abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea can occur.
What are the symptoms of liver fluke in animals?
The signs can include, ill thrift, jaundice (yellow), anaemia, bottle jaw and in severe infections sudden death. Liver fluke also makes sheep more susceptible to one of the clostridial diseases, black disease.
How do you get rid of liver flukes?
Anthelmintic drugs get administered to get rid of liver flukes.
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Depending on whether its Fasciola hepatica or Fasciola gigantica, your doctor may prescribe the following anthelmintic medications:
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Depending on whether its Fasciola hepatica or Fasciola gigantica, your doctor may prescribe the following anthelmintic medications:
- Nitazoxanide.
- Triclabendazole.
- Albendazole.
- Praziquantel.
How are liver flukes diagnosed?
Diagnosis of Fluke Liver Infections
Doctors diagnose Clonorchis, Opisthorchis, or Fasciola infections when they see fluke eggs in a person’s stool (feces) or in the contents of the person’s intestines. However, finding eggs in stool may be difficult.
What does Fasciola hepatica cause?
Fascioliasis is a parasitic infection typically caused by Fasciola hepatica, which is also known as “the common liver fluke” or “the sheep liver fluke.” A related parasite, Fasciola gigantica, also can infect people.
What are the signs of liver fluke in cattle?
Signs include: bottle jaw (swelling below the jaw) weight loss and general ill-thrift, leading to reduced production. anaemia which can be seen through pale gums and membranes around the eyes.
What does liver fluke look like in sheep?
The major signs of chronic fluke are very poor body condition, poor fleece quality and in many sheep, bottle-jaw. Affected sheep may die in an emaciated state especially during the high metabolic demands of advanced pregnancy or early lactation.
Are liver flukes visible to the naked eye?
Humans are infected by eating contaminated watercress and other salad greens harvested from waterways and creek banks. The metacercarial cysts of the liver fluke are very tiny and not readily visible to the naked eye.
Where is Fasciola hepatica found?
Fasciola hepatica, the sheep liver fluke, infects cattle, other ungulates, and occasionally humans. This infection affects approximately 17 million people worldwide and has been reported in many different parts of the world, particularly South America, Europe, Africa, China, Australia, and Cuba.