The course of an experimental liver fluke infection in the pig
Nansen, P.; Andersen, S.; Harmer, E.
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 15(1): 138-140
1974
ISSN/ISBN: 0044-605X PMID: 4830065 Document Number: 76025
Twelve new-born pigs from one litter were allocated to 3 groups. One group was used as an uninfected control. Another group was given 300 F. hepatica metacercariae orally, and the last group was given 600 metacercariae. Blood and faecal samples were taken, and body weights measured, at 2 week intervals. Infected animals showed significantly reduced growth after weaning, and had sub-normal haemoglobin levels. Two pigs excreted fluke eggs 8 weeks after infection, the rest excreted eggs by 10 weeks after infection. Faecal egg counts increased until 16-18 weeks after infection, and then stayed fairly constant. There was no marked difference between fluke burdens from pigs given 300 or 600 metacercariae. The pathology of infected pig liver is described.