Review on Epidemiology, Control and Public Health Importance of Bovine Fasciolosis

Abstract

Fascioliasis is a trematode zoonotic snail-borne disease of public health and economic importance. Fasciolosis is a parasitic disease that affects most population of cattle and it exists in almost all parts of the world. It is caused by commonly known species of liver fluke that are Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica, which mainly affects domestic ruminants. Fasciolosis is more apparent in young cattle and is usually chronic in nature. Adult flukes in the bile ducts cause inflammation, biliary obstruction, distraction of liver tissue and anemia. Fasciolosis is the major burden for Animal production and by direct or indirect economic losses at different part of our country. Diagnosis of fasciolosis is based primarily on clinical signs and seasonal occurrence in endemic areas but previous history of fasciolosis on the farm or identification of snail habitats; postmortem examinations, hematological tests and examination of faeces for fluke eggs are useful. The life cycle of Fasciola spp. is a typical of digenetic treamatodes. Eggs laid by the adult parasite in the bile ducts of their hosts pass into the duodenum with the bile. The life cycle of Fasciola goes through the intermediate host and several developmental stages in the intermediate host. On a herd basis, clinical signs of fluke infection are usually vague (i.e., reduced productivity) and can be difficult to differentiate from the effects of less-thanoptimal management or other chronic disease conditions. Transmission of fasciolosis infection is depending on the presence of “lymnea snail”, host and final host. Among many parasitic problems of farm animals, fasciolosis is a major disease which imposes economic impact on livestock production particularly of cattle and sheep and it has public health importance as it have zoonotic value.