Phylum:

Platyhelminthes
class:Trematoda
By
Assist. lecturer Maytham A. Alwan

Phylum:Platyhelminthes
Class: Trematoda
General characteristics:
1.The class Trematoda falls into two main subclasses, the
Monogenea, which have a direct life cycle, and the
Digenea, which require an intermediate host.
2. The adult digenetic trematodes, commonly called
`flukes', occur primarily in the bile ducts, alimentary
tract and vascular system.
3. Most flukes are flattened dorsoventrally, have a blind
alimentary tract, suckers for attachment.

Trematoda
General characteristics

4.Depending on the predilection site, the eggs pass

out of the final host, usually in faeces or urine,
and the larval stages develop in a molluscan
intermediate host. For a few species, a second
intermediate host is involved, but the mollusc is
essential for all members of the group.

Trematoda
General characteristics

5. The trematodes are usually hermaphrodite and

both cross- and self-fertilization may occur. The
male reproductive system consists of a pair of
testes each leading into a vas deferens: these join
to enter the cirrus sac containing a seminal vesicle
and the cirrus.

Trematoda
General characteristics

The female system has a single ovary leading into

an oviduct which is expanded distally to form the
ootype. There the ovum acquires a yolk from the
secretion of the vitelline glands and ultimately a
shell. As the egg passes along the uterus, the shell
becomes hardened and toughened and is finally
extruded through the genital opening adjacent to
the ventral sucker. The mature egg is usually
yellow because of the tanned protein shell and
most species have an operculum.

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Trematoda
6. Food, generally blood or tissue debris is ingested and
passed into the ceca where it is digested and absorbed.
7. lifecycle: The adult flukes are always oviparous and lay
eggs with an operculum. In the egg the embryo develops
into a pyriform (pear-shaped), ciliated larva called a
miracidium
sporocyst
(in snails )
metacercaria
cercariae
Rediae
(on water plants)

Trematoda:platyhelminthes
Kingdom: animalia
Phylum: platyhelminthes
Class: trematoda
Family: fasciolidae
Genus: fasciola
Species: Fasciola hepatica, F. gigentica
Disease: Fascioliasis
Habitate : bile duct of liver
Common name: sheep liver fluke
Infective stage : metacercaria on vegetation or grass(water plants)

Fasciola hepatica
Definitive host:
Sheep, Cattle
Humans (Accidental)
Other Mammals

Intermediate host
Fresh Water Snail(Lymnaea
truncatula)

Morphology
Adult fluke
Flat leaf like body
20-30mm long
8-15mm wide

section of F. hepatica adult worm in bile duct

Fasciola hepatica adult 20 30 mm L. X 8 13 mm B, ( grey brown )

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Fasciola hepatica adult

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Fasciola hepatica adult

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Lifecycle
Life Cycle:
As shown below, Fasciola parasites develop into adult flukes in the
bile ducts of infected mammals, which pass immature Fasciola eggs
in their feces. The next part of the life cycle occurs in freshwater.
After several weeks, the eggs hatch, producing a parasite form known
as the miracidium, which then infects a snail host. Under optimal
conditions, the development process in the snail may be completed in
5 to 7 weeks; cercariae are then shed in the water around the snail.
The cercariae lose their tails when they encyst as metacercariae
(infective larvae) on water plants. In contrast to cercariae,
metacercariae have a hard outer cyst wall and can survive for
prolonged periods in wet environments.

life cycle of Fasciola hepatica

Egg

eggs of fasciola hepatica, large, operculated, ovoid in shape contains a large

un segmented ovum in amass of yolk cells, 130 150 X 63 90 m, light
brown to yellow ( bile stained ) from stool smear, duodenal aspirates.

Miracidium

Rediae

sporocysts

Metacercaria

Cercaria

stages from Fasciola hepatica life cycle