Most of the articles I read state that the incidence of liver flukes is spreading due to the constant transportation of cattle around the country. <p>Only the adult flukes are susceptible to the medications used to kill flukes, thus the treatment must be timed correctly or is useless. <p>Here is a quote from, & a link to, a fairly informative article on flukes:<p>"Damage caused by liver flukes depends on life-cycle stage. Immature flukes migrating through the peritoneal cavity cause relatively little damage. Although some immature flukes may travel to the lungs, the majority reach the hepatic parenchyma where they tunnel freely, consuming tissue and leaving tracks of blood and cellular debris.4 This tunneling results in an acute phase of inflammation and tissue fibrosis.3<p>Upon reaching maturity, flukes leave the parenchyma and enter the bile ducts of the liver. Mature flukes attach to the ducts, feeding on epithelial tissue, causing it to erode. At this time, it is possible to measure a sudden rise in plasma levels of g-glutamyl transferase (GGT), serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), and serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), indicating severe liver and bile-duct damage. <p>These elevated plasma-enzyme levels will return to normal in about 1 to 2 months. Typically, flukes block the major ducts, reducing the flow of bile. Ensuing clinical signs include anemia, swelling, decreased serum-albumin levels, diarrhea, and weight loss,3 which can create ideal anaerobic conditions for germination of clostridial spores. Bile duct hyperplasia, fibrosis, and sclerosis result from adult infections."<p><p>
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<ul><li><a href="http://www.pfizer.com/ah/topics/current/html/fighting_flukes_.html">http://www.pfizer.com/ah/topics/current/html/fighting_flukes_.html</a></ul>
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