General Information

Liver fluke disease (fasciolosis) is caused by the trematode parasite Fasciola hepatica.

Disease can result from the migration of large numbers of immature flukes through the liver, or from the presence of adult flukes in the bile ducts, or both.

Liver fluke disease affects both cattle and sheep and is an all year round problem.

Sheep are more prone to the acute form of the disease and this can be fatal.

Cattle typically suffer from chronic disease, rather than the acute form and fatalities not so common with this type infection.

Liver fluke are not host specific – it’s exactly the same fluke that affects all grazing animals (cattle, sheep, deer, rabbits etc). Mixed grazing is therefore not a useful control measure in high-risk fluke areas.

Young stock tend to be more susceptible to fluke, however cattle and sheep do not develop sufficient levels of immunity and can still suffer from disease as adults, therefore fluke treatment for older animals is also necessary.

If fluke is not properly controlled then livers will become permanently damaged. Even after heavy infestation with liver fluke and treatment with a flukicide the liver will not fully recover.

To see more information on liver fluke click here.