Fasciola gigantica cases in ruminants from Samsun Province, Turkey

Animal fasciolosis occurs every year as an occasional problem in Samsun Province, especially of grazing animals in the Kizilirmak and Yesilirmak Deltas and surrounding areas. On occasions, dead animals or internal organs, including livers, lungs and hearts, are submitted to the Parasitology Department of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Ondokuz Mayis University for diagnostic purposes. Upon diagnosis of fasciolosis, the owners and veterinarians are informed about prevention measures and treatment of the disease. In that context, the livers and gallbladders of one sheep, one cow and two water buffalo, suspected of having died as a result of fasciolosis, were submitted to the parasitology laboratory of the faculty in 2015 and 2016. All organs were examined thoroughly and 38, 1076, 456 and 714. F. gigantica were collected from the sheep, cow and buffaloes' livers and gallbladders, respectively. In addition to these cases, according to information received from animal breeders and some veterinarians, at least 5 sheep and 3 cattle had also died due to fasciolosis in the previous two years. Because of the re-occurrence of F. gigantica cases in recent years, it is pertinent to discuss the past and current situation surrounding this parasite in Turkey.