Infectious Disease Compendium

Fasciolopsis buski

Microbiology

The giant intestinal fluke.

Epidemiologic Risks

Eating infected plants from the far east and southeast Asia and India. Pigs poo is the main source: pig to water snail to plants to people.

In Belgium, there were cases from "consumption of vegetables from a garden that was flooded by pasture runoff (Pubmed)."

Syndromes

Asymptomatic in most, it resides in the small bowel and sends its eggs (25,000 a day) hence into the world.

With a heavy infestation, abdominal pain, diarrhea, anemia, ascites, and allergic responses to parasite antigens.

Treatment

Praziquantel 25 mg/kg body weight po q 8 x 3 doses.

Notes

Last update: 12/31/19