B66.3: Fascioliasis

You have been diagnosed as having large liver flukes.

Large liver flukes occur in sheep and cows. You can become infected by eating aquatic plants, for example watercress, that has been soiled by animal excrement. You can also become infected by eating raw liver from infected animals.

Large liver flukes can initially cause stomach pain or vomiting. You may have fever and feel sick. Your liver may become enlarged. The liver is an important organ on the top right of the abdomen. For example, it helps with blood clotting and detoxifying the body. Nutrients from food are processed in the liver.

If the illness persists the biliary system can become inflamed. Gallstones may form, too. Bile is produced in the liver. The bile is transported via bile ducts within the liver towards the gallbladder. The bile is collected in the gallbladder. When you eat something, bile is released into the intestine. This is what the common bile duct to the intestine is for. If you have gallstones or your biliary system is inflamed, you may have stomach pain. Gallstones can also block the biliary system. When the biliary system is blocked, bile cannot be excreted. Substances then accumulate in the skin which would normally be excreted with the bile. The skin may turn yellow as a result. This skin discoloration is called jaundice.