Fasciola hepatica infection in farmed emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae).

OBJECTIVE

To describe two cases of infection with Fasciola hepatica in young farmed emus, subacute and chronic fasciolosis and a response to treatment of the flock with albendazole.

PROCEDURE

Gross lesions were found at necropsy and hepatic lesions in microscopic examination. The parasite recovered from one emu was identified by its morphological characteristics and an egg count reduction test was carried out after treatment of the flock with albendazole.

RESULTS

Hepatic lesions resembling subacute and chronic fasciolosis of ruminants were identified. An adult fluke was recovered from the liver of one of the birds and was identified as F hepatica. The eggs of the fluke were irregular in shape and size. No fluke eggs were identifiable in faeces of live emus 10 days after treatment of the flock with albendazole at a dose of 10 mg/kg.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first reported case of infection with F hepatica in farmed emus and the first report of the occurrence of Fasciola infection is the class Aves. The irregular shape and size of the eggs may be attributable to infection of an aberrant host. Treatment with albendazole eliminated eggs from the faeces of the flock.