The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Roy on March 08, 2009, 11:17:42 am

Title: Liver Fluke in Food Chain
Post by: Roy on March 08, 2009, 11:17:42 am

I have a spring that is fed from a boggy patch in a field, a quarter of a mile uphill.  I have sown watercress in the runoff and have an abundant crop.  Until last October, there were sheep in the field with the spring, and they paddled among the reeds in the bog.  I have been advised to avoid eating the cress, due to the possibility of liver fluke.  Can anyone tell me how long this could live in the water, post sheep, and if it could transfer to humans in the uncooked watercress?

Thanks in anticipation..

Roy

Title: Re: Liver Fluke in Food Chain
Post by: ballingall on March 08, 2009, 11:34:53 am

Well I know about the dangers of Liver fluke to sheep and goats, but never looked at it from the food chain angle. I don't know that humans suffer from liver fluke though.  Ok I stand corrected- I have learnt something new today! Found this quite interesting http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/common/standard/transform.jsp?requestURI=/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/fluke_infections.jsp However, it doesn't give any information on how long it could live there post sheep.  Apparently it can transfer to humans, and that article above even mentions watercress.

Beth

Title: Re: Liver Fluke in Food Chain
Post by: Roy on March 08, 2009, 12:46:58 pm

Thanks Beth, very useful - looks like I am right to be worried!  From reading the linked article, it seems that cooking should kill it.  I should probably dig out a recipe for watercress soup!

Roy

Title: Re: Liver Fluke in Food Chain
Post by: Jo525 on March 10, 2009, 10:48:39 pm

The life cycle of the liver fluke involves a species of snail (lymnaea truncatula, or 'galba' snails), so if you get rid of the snails, you'll get rid of the fluke! Sadly, this isn't really possible without draining the area and keeping it dry as the wildlife population will carry it (hares etc), so the sheep aren't really the reason that its there I'm afraid. Once the organisms break out of the snail host they can live on the herbage for a number of months.

And yes, you are right that liver fluke can affect humans :( Sorry for the bad news!

Title: Re: Liver Fluke in Food Chain
Post by: Roy on March 11, 2009, 10:26:26 am

Thanks for the informative reply.  It's good news in the sense that, now I am aware, I won't be picking up this parasite.