Higher physiopathogenicity by Fasciola gigantica than by the genetically close F. hepatica: experimental long-term follow-up of biochemical markers

Background Fascioliasis is caused by Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica. The latter, always considered secondary in human infection, nowadays appears increasingly involved in Africa and Asia. Unfortunately, little is known about its pathogenicity, mainly due to difficulties in assessing the moment a...

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Published in:Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2016-01, Vol.110 (1), p.55-66
Main Authors: Valero, M. Adela, Bargues, M. Dolores, Khoubbane, Messaoud, Artigas, Patricio, Quesada, Carla, Berinde, Lavinia, Ubeira, Florencio M., Mezo, Mercedes, Hernandez, Jose L., Agramunt, Veronica H., Mas-Coma, Santiago
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antibodies, Helminth - blood
Biomarkers - blood
Diagnosis, Differential
Disease Models, Animal
DNA, Helminth - analysis
Fasciola - genetics
Fasciola - immunology
Fasciola - pathogenicity
Fascioliasis - diagnosis
Fascioliasis - immunology
Fascioliasis - parasitology
Immunoglobulin G - blood
Sheep
Sheep Diseases - parasitology
Species Specificity
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Summary:Background Fascioliasis is caused by Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica. The latter, always considered secondary in human infection, nowadays appears increasingly involved in Africa and Asia. Unfortunately, little is known about its pathogenicity, mainly due to difficulties in assessing the moment a patient first becomes infected and the differential diagnosis with F. hepatica. Methods A long-term, 24-week, experimental study comparing F. hepatica and F. gigantica was made for the first time in the same animal model host, Guirra sheep. Serum biochemical parameters of liver damage, serum electrolytes, protein metabolism, plasma proteins, carbohydrate metabolism, hepatic lipid metabolism and inflammation were analysed on a biweekly basis as morbidity indicators. Serum anti-Fasciola IgG, coproantigen and egg shedding were simultaneously followed up. Results rDNA and mtDNA sequencing and the morphometric study by computer image analysis system (CIAS) showed that fasciolids used fitted standard species characteristics. Results demonstrated that F. gigantica is more pathogenic, given its bigger size and biomass but not due to genetic differences which are few. Fasciola gigantica shows a delayed development of 1–2 weeks regarding both the biliary phase and the beginning of egg shedding, with respective consequences for biochemical modifications in the acute and chronic periods. Conclusions The higher F. gigantica pathogenicity contrasts with previous studies which only reflected the faster development of F. hepatica observed in short-term experiments.
ISSN:0035-9203
1878-3503
DOI:10.1093/trstmh/trv110