An Epidemiological and Therapeutic Study of Fasciola hepatica Parasite in Goats of Anbar Province-Iraq

This study was conducted to find out the prevalence of Fasciola hepatica in goats in Anbar province-Iraq, via routine examination of the livers taken from goats slaughtered in central slaughterhouses in the province to ensure that they were infected with hepatic helminths. The results indicated that a total infection rate of 43.5%. Ramadi area had the highest infection rate, moreover, the highest infection rate was 69.9% for ages 6-8 years. Significant differences were found in the average numbers of helminths in the bile sac and liver of both males and females of infected goats. On the other hand, It has been proven that the concentrations of (0.5-10) mg/ml of the alcoholic extract of the plant Aizoon hispanicum had a significant effect on the vitality of the helminths in vitro, as the concentration 10 mg/ml leads to the complete inhibitory for the vitality of helminths where after 36 hours it led to a 100% killing rate. The current study concluded that the goats in the study areas are infected with the F. hepatica parasite at a high rate, and this calls for finding safe treatment methods using medicinal herbs and plants because they contain many active compounds that affect the helminths and lead to their death, and they are safe strategic alternatives to harmful chemical drugs. This necessitates the establishment of an integrated control approach through treatment with effective plant extracts to eliminate these parasites and their health and economic damage.