Clinical aspects of liver fluke Flashcards
1
Q
What climate is fluke seen?
A
- Warm + wet
2
Q
What is the life cycle of liver fluke?
(summer infection of snails)
A
- Spring early summer = eggs excreted from infected sheep / over wintered eggs
- Spring / summer = Miracidia infected snails
- Summer / autumn = Cercariae and metacercariae shed by snails
- Autumn / winter = disease in sheep
3
Q
What is the life cycle of liver fluke?
(winter infection of snails)
A
- Autumn = snails infected miracidium hibernate
- Late Spring = ceracariae metacercariae infect sheep
- Early Summer = Acute Disease in Sheep
4
Q
What are clinical signs of acute fluke disease?
A
- 2-6 weeks after ingestion of very
large numbers metacercariae - Sept- Dec
- Severe haemorrhage due to migration of immature stages through the liver
- Sudden death
- Weakness
- Pale
- Dyspnoeic
5
Q
What are clinical signs of chronic fluke disease?
A
- Blood feeding adults in the bile ducts
- Haemorraghic anaemia, hypoalbuminaemia
- Hepatic fibrosis and cholongitis
- Anaemia
- Weight loss
- Sub mandibular oedema
- Weight loss
- Enlarged liver
- Secondary clostridial infection
Black’s Disease
6
Q
How is fluke diagnosed?
A
- History
- PM
- Clinical signs
- Faecal egg counts
7
Q
How is fluke treated?
A
- Triclabendazole = kills any stage but resistance
- No persistent activity - can get re infected immediately = treat and move to low risk pasture
- Closantel
8
Q
A