Diagnosis of liver tapeworm, Stilesia hepatica, infection in sheep

Abstract

A practical method of diagnosing Stilesia hepatica in live sheep is described. Intestinal contents and faeces were sieved through a sieve with apertures of 1,0 mm onto a sieve with apertures of 100 µm to reduce volume and turbidity. The residue on the fine sieve was examined microscopically. Gravid proglottids passed through the intestine without being digested. Intact proglottids were recovered from the intestine and faeces of infected sheep. Used purely on faeces, the technique is simple and reliable as a diagnostic method. Its application could facilitate basic research into the biology and epidemiology of the parasite.