Question

Liver fluke of cattle is
A) Fasciola hepatica
B) Fasciola gigantica
C) Schistosoma indicum
D) Schistosoma mansoni

Answer 1

: Fascioliasis is a common parasitic disease of cattle that is caused by Fasciola hepatica.Flukes are parasitic flatworms that infect various parts of the body (eg, blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, liver) depending on the species.

Complete step-by-step solution:
Infected cattle produce an intense fibrous reaction within the liver. In severe chronic infestations, dairy cows show reduced milk yields and poor fertility together with excessive weight loss. Fasciola hepatica also called common liver fluke is a parasite of the class Trematoda under the phylum Platyhelminthes which infects the livers of numerous mammals that are pathogenic. It is digenetic as sexual reproduction in liver fluke as an internal parasite of a vertebrate alternate with asexual reproduction in molluscs. Liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) is a leaf-shaped parasite that lives in the liver and bile ducts of infected cattle. Sheep, rabbits, deer, and horses can also host the parasite. The life cycle of liver fluke involves a stage free-living that depends on the presence of an intermediate host which is a mud snail. The seasonal nature of liver fluke infection results from infective larvae being shed by snails onto pasture primarily during late summer and early autumn. Cattle grazing over the autumn is at risk of ingesting larvae over a prolonged period and developing a chronic disease which becomes evident in late winter and early spring. With the effects of infection on growth rate and milk yield estimated to cost the UK cattle industry up to £40.4 million annually, effective and sustainable parasite control within herds is essential.

Thus the correct option is option A.

Note: A multi-disciplined approach involving strategic flukicide product choice to reduce pasture contamination and drug resistance, alongside pasture management to restrict cattle access to snail habitats and quarantine of new stock with unknown infection status is recommended.