ABSTRACT
One of the largest flukes is Fasciolopsis buski (F. buski) (Lankester, 1857) Stiles, 1901, reaching up to 50 mm in length and up to 20 mm in width. This fluke belongs to the same family Fasciolidae as Fasciola hepatica, F. gigantica, and Fascioloides magna. Human infections with F. buski are contracted through consumption of certain aquatic plants on various parts of which the cercariae of this fluke had encysted. In several countries where F. buski is endemic, pollution of the water apparently occurs through the use of human excreta as fertilizer. As with other helminthic infections, several drugs have been used throughout the years to treat fasciolopsiasis. Carbon tetrachloride and beta-naphthol were the two chemotherapeutic agents for treatment of fasciolopsiasis in the early days. One of the obvious control measures for fasciolopsiasis is prevention of pollution of the ponds where water caltrop, water chestnut, and other aquatic plants are cultivated.
