Bovine fasciolosis in Tabasco, Mexico

To establish seasonal trends in infection and maturity of Fasciola hepatica in cattle in relation to macroclimatic factors, 2730 condemned livers were examined from March 1989 to February 1992. Livestock came from Jalapa, Tacotalpa and Teapa, all municipalities in Tabasco State. Flukes were collected monthly and separated into three different maturation stages. Mean numbers of flukes collected were determined. The analysis of the maturation stages detected in cattle showed: (a) F. hepatica matured throughout the year at all three sites; (b) the greatest mean fluke's burdens were found in Jalapa and the lowest in Teapa; large parasite populations were significantly higher from February to September than in July and/or August; (c) persistence of mature, gravid F. hepatica indicated that parasite eggs are shed throughout the year; (d) recruitment of F. hepatica occurred throughout the year with two major periods of infection, the first and main period during the dry season (from February to June), and a second minor infection period, during the rainy season (from August to October); (e) a close relationship was observed between the seasonal infection pattern in cattle and the seasonal infection pattern in snails, as well as fluctuations in the snail population according to rainfall and temperature variation.