Liver Flukes (Hepatic Fascioliosis)
- Fasciollosis is an important parasitic disease animals characterized by pipe-stem liver and the presence of leaf shaped flukes in the thicked bile duct of liver. Acute and sub acute hepatic fasciollosis usually occur in sheep and young dairy calves. chronic type is most common in cattle and other animals. this disease also occur in man.
Causes: – Three important species of liver flukes are
- Fasciola hapatica (Very common liver fluke)
- Fasciola gigentica (Large African liver fluke)
- Fasciola magna (Large liver fluke)
Animal susceptible: – Cattle and sheep are most susceptible animals. It is also parasitised, horses (rarely), goat, dog.pig.deer.rabbit. guinea pig, yak and man.
Symptoms
- Acute form
- In acute fascioliosis in the sheep is often a syndrome of death without showing any clinical signs.
- Dullness, weakness, lack of appetite.
- It usually occurs in summer and autumn.
- In some cases, death of sheep is accompanied with passage of blood stained discharges from nostril and anus.
- Sub-acute
- Rapid weight loss and anaemia
- General Weakness, emaciation, diarrhea and constipation are the important symptoms of liver fluke disease.
- Severe infection particularly of sheep and young calves, may result death.
- Pregnant animal may abort.
- There is increasing lack of vigor.
- Appetite diminishes, mucous membranes become pale and anaemic.
- Some of the affected sheep show the presence of oedema in the intermandibular space, then name “Bottle jaw” being given to it.
- Chronic form
- Skin and wool become dry with falling of wool in patches in sheep.
- In cattle, digestive disturbances, constipation and faeces are passed with difficulty, being hard and brittle. Diarrhoea is seen in extreme stages.
Prevention & control
- Preventive measures yield better result.
- The animals should be kept away from marshy places, which should be drained or fenced.
- The snails should be exterminated by mechanical removal and destruction or by introducing ducks and geese in ponds.
- Segregation of infected animals.
- Regular anthelmic medication