Fasciola hepatica: relevant aspects in animal health

Abstract

The Fasciola hepatica is a parasite from the class Trematoda of the order Digenea, which maintains a wide distribution worldwide. The grass contaminated with feces is the main source of transmission, with snails acting as an essential part of the biological cycle. The lesions mainly are presents in the liver and the clinical symptomatology is mainly gastrointestinal secondary to hepatic affection. The diagnosis can be parasitological from flotation or sedimentation methods, immunological with tests such as ELISA and necropsy based on anatomopathological findings. Prevention is based on the control of the intermediate host, leaving in second place the pharmacological treatment of the animals. In the economic area, the incidence of F. hepatica can be a risk for any animal production, the prevention or dissemination of this, significantly improves profitability, in the same way, the consequences of this disease are the economic losses in the seizures of the canals and their high mortality. This review covers some relevant aspects of F. hepatica infection in Latin American countries where the parasite infection by this parasite is very high, requiring immediate health intervention in endemic areas.

Keywords

• parasite
• prevention
• health
• illness
• endemic
• pathology.