The giant liver fluke Fascioloides magna (Bassi 1875) in cervids in the Czech Republic and potential of its spreading to Germany.

Abstract??The giant liver flukeFascioloides magnais an important parasite of cervids in Europe. From September 2003 to December 2005, faecal samples and livers of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and fallow deer (Dama dama) were investigated to determine the current distribution of the fluke in the Czech Republic. Faecal samples were collected from 20 different areas, and livers of hunted deer were dissected from each locality to confirmF. magnainfection. The prevalence ofF. magnain examined areas determined by coprological examination varied from 4% to 95%. Moreover, new foci ofF. magnainfection were discovered in all localities in the ?umava mountains whereF. magnawas observed; this has epizootiological importance due to the possibility of the spread ofF. magnainto the German territory (Bavaria). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]