Parasites of Liver and Pancreas

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Goats are important in the economy of a country like India. In India, a vast majority of small-scale farmers depend on sheep and goat rearing as their livelihood. They can be completely utilized in different forms, such as milk, meat, skin, and manure. Researchers suggest that the goat sector contributes 8.4% to India's livestock GDP. A multitude of different species of parasites make goats their hosts, some of which can cause significant diseases. A systematic way to identify them is by examining the organs in which they inhabit. Parasites infecting the liver and pancreas of goats include Fasciola hepatica, F. gigantica, Fascioloides magna, Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Ehinococcus granulosus (intermediate stage hydatid cyst occurs in the liver), Stilesia hepatica, Taenia hydatigena, Eurytrema pancreaticum, etc. Most of them cause severe damage to liver parenchyma, which, in turn, results in the loss of production and in some cases, fatality of farm animals. They can also cause internal bleeding and anemia. These parasites require an intermediate host (mostly snails of the genus Lymnea, Planorbis, etc) to complete their life cycle. This chapter describes in detail various parasites affecting the liver and pancreas of goats, their predilection site, pathogenesis, clinical signs, treatment, and control. Control of intermediate hosts, especially snails, is an important part of the control of the majority of these parasites. Hence, due importance is given to the various snail control methods in this chapter. Recent trends in this aspect are discussed in detail, which will be helpful for the scientific community.