11.7 Trematodes: liver flukes (biliary tract flukes)11.7.1 Trematodes: liver flukes: summary

Small liver flukes: eating infected fish leads to cholangitis, icterus, eosinophilia, cancer of the bile duct (Oriental liver fluke)

11.8 Trematodes: liver flukes: Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica

11.8.1 Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica, general

Fasciola hepatica female

Fasciola hepatica, the liver fluke, has a complex life cycle, requiring water snails as intermediate hosts. Humans and other mammals acquire the organism by eating cyst-contaminated water plants. Watercress is a common source of the parasite for humans. The cysts release immature flukes that migrate to the liver and gallbladder. A high load of the parasite may obstruct the biliary tract.