Liver Flukes

• Fasciola hepatica
• Fasciola gigantica
• Fascioloides magna
• Dicrocoelium dendriticum
• Clonorchis sinensis
Habitat: live in the duct system of the liver!
Between any three liver cells there is a
bile capillary (Bile Canaliculus)

Flukes feed on epithelial cells, blood, and mucous caused by

destruction of these cells!
Fasciola hepatica “The Sheep Liver Fluke”

• Because sheep are the

normal definitive host.

• In places where sheep

are not raised can be
found in cattle.

• Humans can become

infected!
30 mm long
Fasciola hepatica “The Sheep Liver Fluke”

• Distribution is cosmopolitan, and they are

found primarily in agricultural animals.

• In US and S. America commonly found in

sheep and cattle.
 Fasciola gigantica

• Equivalent of F.
hepatica in Southeast
Asia, Hawaii, and
Africa.

• Basically big species of

F. hepatica.

75 mm long 30 mm long
 Fascioloides magna “Giant Deer Fluke
or Giant Liver Fluke”
• Found in deer, moose,
and elk.

• Sometimes in cattle,
bison, sheep, goats,
llamas, and pigs.

• Never found in people!

100 mm long!
 Fascioloides magna “Giant Deer Fluke
or Giant Liver Fluke”
• Domestic ruminants
are aberrant hosts.

• Common parasite in
N. America especially
in the Gulf coast,
N.W., and Great Lakes
area!
 Dicrocoelium dendriticum The Lancet
Fluke
• Sheep, goats, deer,
cattle, rabbits, and
woodchucks.

• Occasionally found in
people.

10 mm long
 Dicrocoelium dendriticum The Lancet
Fluke
• Cosmopolitan distribution but predominantly
found in Eastern Europe.
Clonorchis sinensis “Chinese Liver Fluke
or Oriental Liver Fluke”
• Carnivorous animals
are definitive hosts.

• Dogs and cats (animals

that eat fish-2nd IH) also
occurs in people.

• Also found in pigs, rats

and camels (?)! 8-25 mm long
Clonorchis sinensis “Chinese Liver Fluke
or Oriental Liver Fluke”
• Orient
– Korea
– Thailand
– Vietnam
– Japan
– China
 Life Cycles!

• Liver fluke of ruminants and man: Fasiola

hepatica, Fasciola gigantica and
Fascioloides magna!
 Life Cycles of Ruminant Liver Flukes

• First intermediate
hosts are snails in the
family Lymnaeidae
(pond snails): these are
aquatic and semi-
aquatic snails.
Liver flukes of
ruminants
(aquatic life
cycle).
 Eggs of Fasciola hepatica

Eggs are 130-150 X 63-90 μm; golden brown, indistinct

operculum, and unembryonated.
Miricidia develop in the egg (9-10 days)
in the external environment, hatch and
infect snail 1st IH
In the snail they develop sporocysts, 2 redia generations
which release cercariae into the external aquatic
environment! (five to seven weeks)
Cercariae encyst as metacercariae on
aquatic vegetation!

Grass and water cress are

typical 2nd IH
What happens in the DH
 What happens in the DH
• Juvenile worms penetrate the small intestine:
enter the coelom and creep over the viscera until
contacting the liver capsule!
 What happens in the DH
• Juvenile worms penetrate the small intestine:
enter the coelom and creep over the viscera until
contacting the liver capsule!

• They then burrow into the liver parenchyma:

wander about for almost two months feeding and
growing.
 What happens in the DH
• Juvenile worms penetrate the small intestine:
enter the coelom and creep over the viscera until
contacting the liver capsule!

• They then burrow into the liver parenchyma:

wander about for almost two months feeding and
growing.

• Finally they enter the bile ducts: worms become

sexually mature in another month and begin
producing eggs. PPP- 8-10 wk. Live for 11 years!
Habitat Found In

Flooded Pastures!
Life cycle of Dicrocoelium dendriticum
The Lancet Fluke

Terrestrial life cycle!

 Terrestrial
land snails 1st
IH
Ants 2nd IH

Terrestrial
land snails 1st
IH
 Up to
50,000
worms in 1
DH!

Ants 2nd IH

Terrestrial
land snails 1st
IH
 Life Cycle of Clonorchis sinensis
“Chinese Liver Fluke”
• Aquatic life cycle!
Snails 1st IH ingest eggs

Miracidium

Sporocyst

Rediae
Snails 1st IH ingest eggs

Miracidium

Sporocyst

Rediae

Cercariae
Encyst under scale or in
muscle of freshwater fish
2nd IH
Metacercariae
Snails 1st IH ingest eggs

Miracidium

Sporocyst

Rediae

Cercariae
Encyst under scale or in
muscle of freshwater fish
2nd IH
Metacercariae

Adult DH
Egg production 1
month

3 months total
Adults live 8 years
 Eggs of Clinorchis sinensis

• Vase shaped, 26-30 X

15-17 µm long, golden
brown with a distinct
operculum and
abopercular knob.
Commercial Fish Ponds
 What do liver flukes do to the host?

• Seldom kill host; but do interfere with

health of the host.
• More significant to us because of
agriculture.
• If animals are infected, they are sick and
don’t gain weight, won’t produce milk, etc.
• In Gulf coast states up to 23% of meat is
lost due to liver flukes!
 Pathological Damage

• Mechanical Damage: Worms get numerous

and clog up bile ducts.
 Pathological Damage

• Mechanical Damage: Worms get numerous

and clog up bile ducts.
– Hard to digest.
– If bile can’t get out it will kill liver cells
(necrosis of liver cells).
– Calcium deposits in bile ducts fibrosis, and
lots of scar tissue eventually causing
calcification of ducts, making them useless.
Fasciola hepatica

Pipestem fibrosis
Fasciola hepatica
White areas show cirrhosis in infected liver!
Big Picture for Major Pathology

FIBROSIS!
 2ndary Pathology

• Metacercariae penetrate intestine and

migrate through body cavity (they don’t
have a map!) through diaphragm and enter
liver from outside.

• Most make it but some become lost and

become ECTOPIC INFECTIONS!

• If encapsulated in wrong place can cause

seizures!
 Symptoms

• Adult liver flukes feed on bile duct epithelium

and suck blood, so symptoms are anemia,
hypoalbuminemia, hypoproteinemia.
Bottle Jaw
 Symptoms

• Diarrhea, edema, and enlarged liver.

• Lower abdominal pain and discomfort (can

last for up to 10 yrs after treatment and no
probability of getting reinfected!