Chronic bovine fasciolosis associated cholangiolithiasis: a case report

Cholangiolithiasis is a rare condition in animals wherein the choleliths are formed in the biliary tracts causing chronic inflammation. In the current study, choleliths which were firm and friable concretions of approximately 3-4 cm in diameter were found in the bile ducts of the liver of an adult cattle infected with Fasciola gigantica. Two such irregularly shaped concretions were encountered in the two biliary tracts leading to common bile duct in the liver. There were localized irregular saccular dilatation and numerous liver flukes in the bile ducts. Further, several small hard concretions of varying sizes were also present in the ducts. The histological investigation revealed chronic cholangitis with bile duct hyperplasia and cirrhosis. The co-existence of F. gigantica and choleliths indicated the physical pre-disposition for the formation of bile concretions in the bile duct which is not a common site for the occurrence of gall stones.