INFECTIVITY OF 3 SPECIES OF FASCIOLA TO WISTAR RATS

The infectivity of Fasciola spp. to Wistar rats was evaluated with the recovery rate and development of flukes. The recovery rate from the l iver parenchyma and bile duct was 20.0-30.0% in F. hepatica, 36.6-47.5 % in Japanese Fasciola sp. and 0-5.0% in F. gigantica. Mature flukes w ere first recovered at week 8 in F. hepatica and week 12 in Japanese F asciola sp., however, F. gigantica did not mature in the rats examined until 12 weeks after infection. These results suggest that F. hepatic a and Japanese Fasciola sp. are high in infectivity to Wistar rats, wh ereas F. gigantica is low.