The present study was performed to reveal out infection rate. worm recovery rate and individual worm burden in mice, rats, rabbits and goats experimentally infected with metacercariae of Fasciola hepatica for establishment of animal model as experimental host of the fluke. Metacercariae were obtained from experimentally infected snails. Lymnaea pervia.
The results obtained are summarised as follows
1) Infection rate was 100% in mice, rabbits and goats, respectively, and 73.3% in rats.
2) Days(mean) that eggs were found in the faeces for the first time after infection were
37-46 days(41days) in mice. 3949 days(44days) in rats, 4963 days(56 days) in rabbits
and 68-88 days(78 days) in goats, respectively. The flukes mature more quickly in smaller
hosts.
3) Worm recovery rate and mean of individual worm burden were 27.7% and 1.7 in mice. 10.7 % and 1.1 in rats, 36.0 % and 10.8 in rabbits and 42.7 % and 21.3 in goats, respectively. Goats are regarded as favorable experimental hosts of the fluke.
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