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Paramphistomosis
Synonym(s): Paramphistome, Paramphistomum, Calicophoron and Orthcoelium, Calicophoron daubneyi, Paramphistomum microbothrium, Paramphistomum cervi
Introduction
- Cause: paramphistome infection.
- Signs: diarrhea, weakness, hypoproteinemia, anemia.
- Diagnosis: demonstration of eggs or immature and/or mature flukes on post-mortem examination.
- Treatment: oxyclozanide.
- Prognosis: good.
Geographic incidence
- Rumen flukes present in cattle worldwide.
- Clinical disease more frequently described in sub-tropical regions.
- Increasingly reported in more temperate regions – prevalence of up to 55% reported in Europe.
Age predisposition
- Under 2 years of age.
- Older animals can harbour low-level infections.
Breed/Species predisposition
- Anecdotally more prevalent in beef than dairy cows, likely due to difference in types of pasture grazed.
Public health considerations
- Not a recognized zoonosis.
Cost considerations
- Clinical disease can cause mortality and poor growth rates especially at young ages.
- Sub-clinical disease has been associated with reduced feed conversion and milk yield.
Pathogenesis
Etiology
- Infection with paramphistomes (flukes).
- Large number of genera but commonly Paramphistomum, Calicophoron and Orthcoelium species.
- Calicophoron daubneyi is the major rumen fluke in Western Europe.
- Paramphistomum microbothrium is the major rumen fluke in Africa.
- Paramphistomum cervi is traditionally considered to be prevalent worldwide, now considered to predominantly reside in tropical and subtropical regions.
Predisposing factors
- Young grazing cattle.
- Climate and environment which support intermediate host (aquatic or amphibious snail).
- Infection can be associated with the drying of recently flood pasture; especially species which predominantly use aquatic snails as intermediate hosts (eg P. cervi).
Pathophysiology
- Primarily associated with immature flukes in proximal small intestine – attach by drawing plug of mucosa into oral and ventral sucker.
- Migration through mucosa and submucosa can cause strangulation and necrosis leading to extensive enteritis.
- Adult flukes in rumen generally well tolerated but heavy infections are associated with poor fecal consistency and damage to rumen papillae.
- Protein losing enteropathy and reduced appetite result in condition loss.
Timecourse
- Clinical signs due to immature flukes seen from 3 weeks following infection with metacercariae.
- Clinical signs typically persist for several weeks but dependent on infection rate with metacercariae.
Epidemiology
- Similar characteristics to liver fluke Fasciola hepatica.
- Infection from ingestion of metacercariae with herbage.
- Intermediate host essential – aquatic or amphibious snails.
- Adult cows with low level of infection provide reservoir of adult paramphistomes; responsible for infecting snail population.
- Snails are motile and therefore capable of spreading to un-grazed pasture.
- See life cycle Paramphistomes spp for more information.
- In Europe outbreaks are typically seen in late summer and autumn.
Diagnosis
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Treatment
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Prevention
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Outcomes
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Further Reading
Publications
Refereed Papers
- Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
- Duignan G, Fagan J, Cepta J & Casey M (2017) Diagnosing acute larval paramphistomosis in ruminants. Vet Rec 180 (25).
- Elelu N & Eisler M C (2017) A review of bovine fasciolosis and other trematode infections in Nigeria. J Helminthol, 1–14.
- De Waal T (2010) Paramphistomum – a brief review. Ir Vet J 63 (5), 313–316.
- Huson K M, Oliver N A M & Robinson M W (2017) Paramphistomosis of Ruminants: An Emerging Parasitic Disease in Europe. Trends in Parasitology 33 (11), 836–844.
- Jones R A, Brophy P M, Mitchell E S & Williams H wyn (2017) Rumen fluke (Calicophoron daubneyi) on Welsh farms: prevalence, risk factors and observations on co-infection with Fasciola hepatica. Parasitology 144 (2), 237–247.
- Ploeger H W, Ankum L, Moll L, van Doorn D C K et al (2017) Presence and species identity of rumen flukes in cattle and sheep in the Netherlands. Vet Parasitol 243, 42–46.
- Sargison N, Francis E, Davison C, Bronsvoort B M d C et al (2016) Observations on the biology, epidemiology and economic relevance of rumen flukes (Paramphistomidae) in cattle kept in a temperate environment. Vet Parasitol 219, 7–16.
- Malrait K, Verschave S, Skuce P, Van Loo H, Vercruysse J & Charlier J (2015) Novel insights into the pathogenic importance, diagnosis and treatment of the rumen fluke (Calicophoron daubneyi) in cattle. Vet Parasitol 207 (1–2), 134–139.
- Mitchell S (2014) Emerging diseases - External and internal parasites. Cattle Practice 22, 77–85.
- Zintl A, Garcia-Campos A, Trudgett A, Chryssafidis A L et al (2014) Bovine paramphistomes in Ireland. Vet Parasitol 204 (3–4), 199–208.
- Gordon D K, Roberts L C P, Lean N, Zadoks R N et al (2013) Identification of the rumen fluke, Calicophoron daubneyi, in GB livestock: Possible implications for liver fluke diagnosis. Vet Parasitol 195 (1–2), 65–71.
- Tilling O (2013) Rumen fluke in cattle in the UK: review. Livestock 18 (6), 223–227.
- Mezo M (2013) Bovine paramphistomosis in Galicia (Spain): Prevalence, intensity, aetiology and geospatial distribution of the infection. Vet Parasitol 191 (3–4), 252–263.
- Millar M, Colloff A & Scholes S (2012). Disease associated with immature paramphistome infection. Vet Rec 171 (20), 509.5-510.
- González-Warleta M, Lladosa S, Castro-Hermida J A, Martínez-Ibeas A M (2010) Influence of Calicophoron microbothrium amphistomosis on the biochemical and blood cell counts of cattle. J Helminthol 84 (1475–2697 (Electronic)), 355–361.
- De Waal T (2010) Paramphistomum – a brief review. Ir Vet J 63 (5), 313–316.
- Rolfe P F & Boray J C (1987) Chemotherapy of paramphistomosis in cattle. Aust Vet J 64 (11), 328–332.