What is liver fluke in sheep?
The liver fluke parasite, Fasciola hepatica, infects the liver of both cattle and sheep. Adult fluke are 2 to 3cm in size and live in the bile ducts laying eggs which enter the animals intestinal tract and end up on pasture. The eggs hatch and enter a specific species of snail, Galba truncatula.
What is the function of liver fluke?
Liver flukes are parasites that can infect humans and cause liver and bile duct disease. There are two families of liver flukes that cause disease in humans: Opisthorchiidae (which includes species of Clonorchis and Opisthorchis) and Fasciolidae (which includes species of Fasciola).
What are the general 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 liver fluke in biology?
Liver flukes, also known as Fasciola hepatica, are parasites that cause the liver fluke disease known as Fascioliasis in the liver of human beings. The liver fluke parasite falls under the phylum Platyhelminthes.
How do sheep control liver flukes?
Control and Prevention of Liver Fluke in Sheep
- Grazing management. Avoid grazing high risk pastures. Avoid co-grazing sheep and cattle.
- Snail habitat management. Fence off wet areas. Drainage of wet areas.
- Monitoring for infection.
What causes liver damage in sheep?
Sheep are particularly susceptible to lupinosis. Sheep grazing affected lupin stubbles may ingest sufficient mycotoxin to suffer liver injury which, if severe or prolonged, can lead to fibrosis and irreversible hepatic damage and fibrosis. The degree of insult is related to the amount of toxin ingested.
What is the classification of liver fluke?
Fasciola hepatica, also known as the common liver fluke or sheep liver fluke, is a parasitic trematode (fluke or flatworm, a type of helminth) of the class Trematoda, phylum Platyhelminthes….
| Fasciola hepatica | |
|---|---|
| Phylum: | Platyhelminthes |
| Order: | Plagiorchiida |
| Family: | Fasciolidae |
| Genus: | Fasciola |
Where is liver fluke found?
Fascioliasis is an infectious disease caused by Fasciola parasites, which are flat worms referred to as liver flukes. The adult (mature) flukes are found in the bile ducts and liver of infected people and animals, such as sheep and cattle.
What is liver fluke disease?
How is liver fluke controlled?
Oral dosing: Triclabendazole is the active ingredient of choice to control the liver fluke in the liver.
What is the size of liver fluke?
The size of the parasite ranges from 8.0 to 15.0 mm long by 1.5 to 4.0 mm wide and 1.0 mm thick (2). Humans are infected when ingesting uncooked fresh water fish infested with metacercariae. The larvae excyst in the stomach, migrate to the ampulla of Vater, ascend into the bile ducts and live there for 20-30 years.
How do you prevent liver flukes in sheep?
How do you control liver fluke disease?
It’s possible to eradicate liver flukes completely. An infection will usually be treated with a drug called triclabendazole. It’s given orally, usually in one or two doses, and most people respond well to this treatment. A short course of corticosteroids is sometimes prescribed for acute phases with severe symptoms.
Where are liver flukes found?
The adult (mature) flukes are found in the bile ducts and liver of infected people and animals, such as sheep and cattle. In general, fascioliasis is more common in livestock and other animals than in people. Two Fasciola species (types) infect people.
What causes fluke in sheep?
Liver fluke disease can occur in either the acute or chronic form. The acute form occurs in sheep and is caused by the migration of large numbers of immature flukes through the liver. Acute liver fluke is often a fatal disease and has serious welfare implications.
What is liver fluke in animals?
Liver flukes (Fasciola hepatica) are flat, leaf-shaped worms found in sheep, cattle, goats, and sometimes deer, elk, and other mammals that graze in wet or marshy pastures.
How is liver fluke control?
For clinical outbreaks of acute and sub-acute fluke the only effective treatment is triclabendazole. Drenched sheep should be moved to clean pasture – repeating treatment every three weeks is not sustainable.
What is the treatment for liver fluke?
Liver Fluke in Sheep Also known as: Fasciola hepatica Fasciolosis is an economically important and potentially fatal disease of sheep which can be associated with particular regions throughout the world directly linked to the habitat of an aquatic mud snail.
What are the different types of liver flukes?
Liver Flukes Fasciola species Found in the liver and biliary passages of humans and ruminants Fasciola hepatica Sheep liver fluke Temperate liver fluke Common Liver Fluke Fasciola gigantica Giant liver fluke Tropical liver fluke 4.
How do flukes survive in sheep?
For prolonged survival, the relative humidity needs to be above 70% Once ingested by sheep, the immature fluke burrow through the gut wall and pass to the liver. They are voracious feeders and migrate through the liver parenchyma to reach the bile duct, where they mature.
How to control liver fluke in livestock?
Control should be farm specific and farmers must consider all livestock together as liver fluke infects cattle, sheep and other grazing animals (including rabbits and deer). Fluke control measures can be divided into 3 sections: 1. Grazing management 2. Snail habitat management 3. Monitoring for infection