ABSTRACT
The genus Fasciola consists of two zoonotic trematode species (i.e., F. hepatica and F. gigantica) that disseminate between ruminants (definitive hosts) and snails (intermediate hosts). Fasciola infection (fascioliasis) affects >700 million domestic ruminants (cattle, sheep, pig, donkey, buffalo, and goats) worldwide and causes significant economic losses through liver condemnation, high mortality, and reduced production of meat, milk, and wool. Additionally, as accidental host, humans may acquire fascioliasis through consumption of vegetables (e.g., watercress) and water containing Fasciola larvae, leading to various clinical diseases and significant health costs. Although Fasciola has a cosmopolitan distribution, fascioliasis tends to target people in developing countries and is recognized by the WHO as one of the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Given our limited understanding about the molecular mechanisms of Fasciola pathogenesis, metabolomic analysis has a critical role in helping decipher the intricacies between the parasite and the host and identify new biomarkers for improved diagnosis and control [1,2].
