<i>Fasciolopsis buski</i> Detected in Humans in Bihar and Pigs in Assam, India
Dipshikha Saikia, Yugal K. Prasad, Suman Dahal, Sudeep Ghatani
Abstract
F asciolopsis buski is a foodborne intestinal trema- tode that causes the neglected zoonotic disease fasciolopsiasis in humans and pigs. F. buski infection is transmitted through ingestion of raw aquatic plants or water carrying encysted metacercaria. Persons with substantial worm loads can have clinical indicators, such as malnutrition, edema, malabsorption, severe diarrhea, ascites, and anemia, and might experience acute intestinal obstruction and ileus (1-3). F. buski worms are found mostly in Asia and the Indian subcontinent; endemicity is highest in eastern India (4). We previously reported multiple cases of infection with Artyfechinostomum sufrartyfex, an echinostome trematode, which was diagnosed in children at Shri Shubh Lal (SSL) Hospital and Research Centre in Sitamarhi, Bihar state, India (5). We also documented several cases of fasciolopsiasis among SSL patients during 2012-2021 and infection in pigs detected in Sivasagar district, Assam state, India during a 2019-2020 survey.