ABSTRACT
Opisthorchis viverrini is a liver fluke living in the hepatobiliary tract that causes opisthorchiasis in human and animal reservoir host. A study of liver fluke infection in animals showed that many animals, including dogs, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, and mice, display varied susceptibility to Opisthorchis viverrini infection and pathological changes. The hamsters are the appropriate experimental animals for studying Opisthorchis viverrini and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Several experiments and clinical reports revealed the correlation between Opisthorchis viverrini and CCA development, including clinical studies and experimental models. The mechanism of Opisthorchis viverrini-associated CCA relates to chronic inflammation resulting in a combination of mechanical damage, parasite secretions, and immunopathology. Besides Opisthorchis viverrini, which mainly occurs in Thailand, Lao PDR, Vietnam, and Cambodia, Clonorchis sinensis and Opisthorchis felineus within the family Opisthorchiidae also cause liver fluke infections in humans, dogs, and cats. While Clonorchis sinensis infection appears in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, Opisthorchis felineus infection is present in Russia and European countries.
