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==Introduction==

==Introduction==

''Fasciola Hepatica'' is an hepatic parasite found mainly in ruminants, namely cows, sheep and goats, but also known to affect horses, pigs, deer and man.  It is found Worldwide, and within the UK, with its prevalence ever increasing.  It is responsible for a 10-15% production loss in each infected animal, as it affects meat, milk and wool production, so is of huge economic consequence.

''Fasciola Hepatica'' is an hepatic parasite of the class [[:Category:Trematodes|Trematoda]], found mainly in ruminants, namely cows, sheep and goats, but also known to affect horses, pigs, deer and man.  It is found Worldwide, and within the UK, with its prevalence ever increasing.  It is responsible for a 10-15% production loss in each infected animal, as it affects meat, milk and wool production, so is of huge economic consequence.

''Fasciola Hepatica'' has a definitive ruminant mammalian host and an intermediate molluscan host (indirect life cycle). Within Europe the intermediate host is almost exclusively the amphibious snail ''Lymnaea truncatulata''. The snail habitat is crucial to the survival of the parasite, so wet conditions are favourable to the development and spread of ''Fasciola hepatica''.

''Fasciola Hepatica'' has a definitive ruminant mammalian host and an intermediate molluscan host (indirect life cycle). Within Europe the intermediate host is almost exclusively the amphibious snail ''Lymnaea truncatulata''. The snail habitat is crucial to the survival of the parasite, so wet conditions are favourable to the development and spread of ''Fasciola hepatica''.