Fascioliasis in Spain: a review of the literature and personal observations.

The fascioliasis induced by Fasciola hepatica is a syndrome which has still not been fully clarified in this country, though the different peninsular regions are suitable for completion of the life cycle of the worm; infested animals may found throughout these regions and in almost all of them human fascioliasis has been diagnosed, with the greatest incidence in the Basque Country, Navarra and La-Rioja. This greater appearance is probably related to the dietary habits in those areas, since the consumption of water cress is undoubtedly the principal source of contamination and is entirely responsible for the rest of the epidemiology of the diseases in humans. In the cases studied, the clinical symptoms did not differ from those habitually found in this syndrome. Serological methods have resolved the diagnosis in the acute phase of the disease and furthermore are of great use for monitoring post-treatment evolution. The cases studied by this Department were diagnosed with immunodiffusion, haemagglutination and immunoelectrophoresis techniques and the evolution of the patients was also followed by immunodiffusion and haemagglutination.