fascioliasis

a disease of the LIVER and BILE ducts caused by the organism Fasciola hepatica or liver fluke. Human beings and animals are hosts to the adult flukes, and the eggs of the parasite are passed out in FAECES . These are taken up by a certain species of snail, which forms an intermediate host for the parasite and from which the larval stages are deposited on vegetation, especially wild watercress. Human beings are then infected, especially by eating wild watercress, which should always be avoided. Symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, indigestion, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, severe sweating and coughing. In severe cases the liver may be damaged, and there may be jaundice and even death. CHEMOTHERAPY is required to kill the flukes, the principal drugs being chloroquine and bithionol.