Pathology of fasciolosis in large ruminants

Considerable progress is being made in developing options for controlling fasciolosis based on existing knowledge of its transmission and epidemiology. In parallel with this approach, other research is being directed at finding new ways to diagnose infection (for clinical and survey purposes) and to increase host resistance through vaccination or other changes to the immune system. Confounding these studies is the realisation that cattle and buffalo respond differently to infection and that there may be significant differences between cattle breeds. To support these research initiatives the ACIAR projects have included important fundamental research on the pathology of infection in cattle and buffalo, and compared the susceptibility to infection of different animals. In this chapter a series of studies is reported on the pathology of fasciolosis in cattle and buffalo, and on the relationship between host and parasite.