Fasciola

A genus of large, leaf-shaped, digenetic liver flukes (family Fasciolidae, class Trematoda) of mammals. [L. dim. of fascia, a band]

- F. gigantica a species, resembling F. hepatica but of larger size, found in herbivores, especially in Africa, where it also infects humans.

- F. hepatica the common liver fluke inhabiting the bile ducts of sheep and cattle; the intermediate hosts are aquatic snails, Lymnaea or related genera; after the cercariae escape, they become encysted on water plants by which they gain access to the intestinal canal; rarely, this fluke is reported from humans, in whom it may cause considerable biliary damage.

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fas·ci·o·la fə-'sē-ə-lə, -'sī- n

1) pl -lae -.lē or -las a narrow fascia or band of color

2) cap a genus (the type of the family Fasciolidae) of digenetic trematode worms including common liver flukes of various mammals (as ruminants and humans)

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n.

a genus of fluke. F. hepatica, the liver fluke, normally lives as a parasite of sheep and other herbivorous animals but sometimes infects humans (see fascioliasis).

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Fas·ci·o·la (fə-siґo-lə) [L., dim. of fascia] a genus of flukes of the family Fasciolidae.