Hepatic Cell Function in Liver Fluke Infection

Infection with the Fasciola species of liver fluke (fasciolosis) compromises growth and productivity in grazing animals [reviewed in Dargie (1)]. Predisposition to other diseases and sudden death may also be the outcome. Liver fluke infection presents a serious problem in many parts of the world; sheep, cattle, goats, and pigs are affected as well as many species of wildlife. In some countries where aquatic plants such as watercress are consumed as part of the diet, fasciolosis is also a significant human problem. Fasciola hepatica, a parasite of temperate climates, and its tropical counterpart Fasciola gigantica together are estimated to infect in excess of 2 million people, 200 million sheep, and 300 million cattle worldwide. F. hepatica is the more widely studied of these two species and is the subject of this chapter.