A survey of fascioliasis in beef cattle killed at abattoirs in southern Queensland.

The overall prevalence of fascioliasis in beef cattle found in an abattoir survey completed in May 1983 in southern Queensland, was 1.1%. Prevalence was 36% in the Stanthorpe Shire, varied from greater than 1 to 10% in 12 shires and was 1% or less in 24 shires. Fascioliasis was not recorded from the other 46 shires in the area of the survey. Prevalence was less than 1% in female cattle of all ages. In males, prevalence increased with age from 0.6% in 17-month-old cattle to 4.7% in 4-year-old cattle. The differences in sex-specific prevalences may be due to differences in susceptibility to the parasite between sexes, differences in susceptibility to the parasite between sexes, differences in management between sexes, or artefacts associated with sampling for a disease of very low prevalence. The presence of the exotic snail species, Lymnaea columella and L. viridis was confirmed in southern Queensland in 1977. These snails are suitable intermediate hosts for Fasciola hepatica and may widen the endemic area for liver fluke because of their more aquatic character and greater tolerance to high temperatures than L. tomentosa, the traditional snail host in Queensland. We suggest that introduced snails have not yet had a substantial impact on the importance of fascioliasis to the beef industry of southern Queensland. The survey provides baseline data for the future monitoring of this potentially important parasitic disease.