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Amphistomiasis

Dr. Bipin Kumar

Assistant Professor

Department of Veterinary Medicine

Bihar Veterinary College, Patna

(Bihar Animal Sciences University, Patna)

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Also known as Stomach flukes or Conical flukes.

It is a parasitic disease of cattle and sheep and humans caused by immature helminthic flatworms.

Infection occurs through ingestion of contaminated vegetables and raw meat, in which the viable infective metacercaria are deposited from snails, which are the intermediate hosts.

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Etiology/Epidemiology

Name of trematode	Host	Location
Paramphistomum gotoi	Cattle	Forestomach
Paramphistomum cervi	Cattle	Forestomach
Cotylophoran cotylophorum	Sheep, Goat & Cattle	Rumen and reticulum
Gigantocotyle explanatum	Cattle &Buffalo	Bile duct, Gall bladder & Duodenum
Gastrothylax crumenifer	Sheep,Cattle &Buffalo	Rumen and reticulum
Gastrodiscus aegypticus	Horse and pig	Large and small intestine

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Transmitted by various species of snails;
Planorbis, Bulinus
Pseudosuccinea, Fossaris
Indoplanorbis, Lymnaea
Pygmanisas, Glyptanisus & Cleopatra

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Factors influencing ourbreak of amphistomiasis;
Management
Environmental factors
Intermediate host
Definitive host
The egg contain the miracidium when passed in the faeces.

Management

Animals are reared in extensive systems of management
Grazing near pond area/ other natural resources, especially - drier months

Snail population - concentrated more
Fresh palatable grasses are more
Favour for encystation of metacercariae
Attracts animals

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Temperature – embryonation (miracidium) & maturation of cercariae (27°C)
Light - Strong light influences release of cercariae from snail

Intermediate host

Availability of suitable snail
Young snails are highly susceptible than adult
Multiplication of snails take places in warm, watery environment

Definitive host

Young animals are highly susceptible than adult
Preinfection – give resistant
The egg contain the miracidium when passed in the faeces
The egg do not hatch

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PATHOGENESIS AND CLINICAL SIGNS�

Adult flukes

Forestomach–large number of worms–Not much pathogenic changes
Bile duct & gall bladder–Superficial Haemorrhage

Liver–Fibrosis

Immature flukes (Pitto)
Duodenum, upper ileum-plug feeder: Plug intestinal mucosa–Haemorrhages and necrosis (Haemorrhagic duodenitis)
Embedded in mucosa/ muscularis

Clinical signs
Fetid diarrhoea
Marked weakness
Thirsty and drink more water

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DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND CONTROL

Diagnosis
Based on history and Clinical signs
Faecal examination
Gross – presence of immature worms in fluid faeces
Microscopic - Presence of typical egg (Upperculated)

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Treatment
Bithionol sulphoxide – 40 mg/ kg (activity against Immature – 100%)
Resorantol – 65 mg / kg ( Immature – 65% &Mature – 100%)
Niclosamide - 90 mg / kg (Immature – 99.9% &Mature – 8%)
Niclofolan - 6 mg / Kg (Immature – 96% & Mature – 43%)
Oxyclozanide – 18.7 mg / kg for two days (Immature & Mature - 100 %)
Hexachlorophene – 20 mg/ kg - single dose

Resorantol and Oxyclozanide are the drug of choice for both immature and mature Amphistomes