Fascioliasis in Humans and Animals

Abstract

Fascioliasis is a zoonotic disease caused by the liver fluke. Fasciola hepatica, distributed almost worldwide, and F. gigantica, restricted to parts of Africa and Asia. These fasciolids are transmitted by specific freshwater Lymnaeidae snails and infect many mammals, mainly herbivorous but also omnivorous species, causing severe disease in domestic ruminants and humans. Livestock affection gives rise to impressive worldwide economic veterinary losses. Human fascioliasis is included within foodborne trematodiases among neglected tropical diseases by WHO. This article comprises a multidisciplinary update of this disease, in which many crucial steps forward have been made in the last two decades. New knowledge has been obtained in aspects as molecular biology, genetics, influences of climate and global changes, immunity, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control. In human fascioliasis, moreover, the present global scenario pronouncedly differs from the one considered before the 1990s. Human endemic areas have been reported from Asia, Latin America and Africa. The wide heterogeneity of human fascioliasis differs from animal fascioliasis and is linked to different human infection sources, transmission patterns, and epidemiological situations according to endemic areas. Recent studies showed that human infection may even occur early in lactant children and long chronicity may induce severe pathology and sequelae.