Observations on the biology, epidemiology and economic relevance of rumen flukes (Paramphistomidae) in cattle kept in a temperate environment

Abstract

There is concern about the probable recent introduction, increased prevalence and potential economic impact of rumen fluke infection of United Kingdom cattle. A study of 339 cattle slaughtered in a Scottish red meat abattoir was undertaken with the aims of describing the prevalence and geographical distribution of rumen fluke infection, estimating its effect on production, and evaluating faecal egg counts (FECs) as a tool to diagnose infection in live animals and study the epidemiology of the disease. The overall proportion of cattle consigned to the abattoir from northern United Kingdom with rumen fluke infection in the forestomachs was 0.29. Rumen flukes were distributed predominantly in the cranial sac of the rumen and adjacent to the reticular groove. Overall, a mean of 213 and median of 44 rumen flukes was identified in the forestomachs of rumen fluke-positive cattle. The mean and median FECs of animals were 26.01 and 5.20 eggs per gram (epg), respectively. There was a significant difference between the mean FECs per rumen fluke of 0.08 and 0.13 epg during summer/autumn and winter sampling periods, respectively. The overall correlation between rumen fluke FECs and the number of flukes in the forestomach was high, albeit lower in the summer/autumn than in the winter period. The sensitivities of rumen fluke FECs for the identification of flukes in the forestomach during the summer/autumn and winter sampling periods were 0.65 and 0.85, respectively. These results will aid in the interpretation of rumen fluke FECs when monitoring cattle health and production and studying the parasite's epidemiology in a temperate environment, thereby informing rational, precise and sustainable disease control.

Transmission of Calicophoron daubneyi and Fasciola hepatica in Galicia (Spain): Temporal follow-up in the intermediate and definitive hosts

“…This is consistent with the pattern of egg excretion observed in the definitive host. Importantly, in the case of C. daubneyi , the faecal egg counts were closely correlated with the number of parasites in the rumen [8, 13, 47]. A gradual increase in egg shedding would reflect a cumulative increase in fluke burdens due to continuous reinfection.…”

“…However, this situation seems to be changing, since cases of serious illness caused by paramphistomes have been described in France [1] and the UK [2–4]. Increased prevalence of both infections has also been reported in various European countries [5–8]. The higher rate of prevalence may reflect an increased risk of infection, possibly triggered by changes in climatic conditions favouring higher transmission rates [9] and also a failure of the control measures applied, which are often limited to treatment of livestock with anthelmintics.…”

Evaluation of the Performance of Five Diagnostic Tests for Fasciola hepatica Infection in Naturally Infected Cattle Using a Bayesian No Gold Standard Approach

“…This procedure was carried out as part of a separate study [20], but results will be used here to assess the copro-antigen and the serum-antibody ELISAs for cross-reactivity with rumen fluke.…”

Parasitic gastroenteritis and pasteurellosis dominate Scottish surveillance diagnoses

“…A Scottish study of 339 slaughter cattle failed to show a statistically significant reduction in growth rates in rumen fluke-infected cattle 2. Nonetheless, acute disease can cause high mortality in both sheep and cattle;3,4 histopathology has demonstrated a localised inflammatory response at the site of attachment in the rumen;5 and in vitro models suggest that the presence of adult flukes may alter ruminal volatile fatty acid production 6…”