Opisthorchiidae

JACQUIELYN A. BAYDO, DVM

Class Trematoda: Digenea
Families:
1. Fasciolidae (4 genera)
2. Dicrocoeliidae (3 genera)
3. Opisthorchiidae (4 genera)
4. Echinostomatidae (5 genera)
5. Heterophyidae (6 genera)
6. Plagiorchidae (2 genera)
7. Notocotylidae (3 genera)
8. Brachylaemidae (2 genera)
9. Troglotrematidae (4 genera)
10. Cyclocoelidae (1 genus)
11. Paramphistomatidae (10 genera)
12. Strigeidae (3 genera)
13. Diplostomatidae (2 genera)
14. Schistosomatidae (3 genera)
 Family Opisthorchiidae
Opisthorchis
Metorchis
Parametorchis
Pseudamphistomum
 Family Opisthorchiidae
• Opisthen – Gk. Behind; Orchis – Gk. Testicle
• Small to medium sized fluke
• Parasitic in the gall-bladder and bile-ducts of reptiles, birds and mammals
• Flattened, translucent and the body narrow anteriorly
 Family Opisthorchiidae
Suckers: are weak and not far apart
Pharynx and esophagus: +
Ceca: reach near the posterior extremity
Excretory bladder: has a long stem and short branches
 Family Opisthorchiidae
Genital pore: opens in the midline just anterior to the ventral
sucker
Cirrus-sac: absent; the tubular seminal vesicle is coiled
Testes: lie in the posterior part of the body; situated diagonally
and are spherical or lobed
Ovary: not far anterior to the testes
Vitelline glands: moderately developed; lie in lateral fields
Uterine coils: usually do not extend behind the ovary
Ova: numerous and light brown in color
 Family Opisthorchiidae
Require two intermediate hosts
1st IH: water snails
2nd IH: wide variety of fish (in which the metacercariae are encysted)

DH: fish-eating mammals

 Family Opisthorchiidae
Opisthorchis sinensis=Clonorchis sinensis (Oriental or
Chinese liver fluke)
• May reach a size of 25 x 5 mm
• Flat, transparent pinkish, wide posteriorly, and tapering
anteriorly
• Cuticle: spiny (young fluke); smooth (adult)

Predilection site: Bile ducts; sometimes pancreatic ducts

and duodenum
DH: dogs, cat, pig, weasel, mink, badger and man
 Opisthorchis sinensis
Ova:
◦ Prominent shoulders with an abopercular knob
◦ Measure 27-35 by 12-20 µ.

Eggs must not be confused with Heterophyidae eggs 

have symmetrical embryo
 Opisthorchis sinensis
Geographical distribution: Common in the south-eastern part of
Asia and Japan

1st IH: Operculated snails

◦ Parafossarulus manchouricus
◦ Bithynia, Bulinus spp., Melania and Vivipara

2nd IH: Fishes belonging to several genera of the family Cyprinidae

(more than 40 have been reported naturally infected)
Complete LC: can take up to 3 months
 Opisthorchis sinensis
PPP: 16 days

Pathogenesis:
Young flukes:
◦ Cause cholangitis, pericholangitis, cholecystitis with desquamation of the epithelium
◦ Rare cases: blocking up the passages  bile stasis  jaundice

CS:
◦ In humans: anemia, emaciation, ascites, jaundice, diarrhea
 Opisthorchis sinensis
Pathology:
◦ Light infestations: little pathology
◦ Heavier infestations:
◦ Fibrosis of the smaller bile ducts, cholangiohepatitis, severe biliary fibrosis may
develop
◦ Papillomatous or even adenomatous proliferation of the epithelium of the bile ducts
takes place, together with cirrhosis of the liver
 frequently leads to the formation of cysts enclosing eggs and flukes

Diagnosis: fecal exam (must be differentiated from Heterophyes, Metagonimus and other
Opisthorchis sp.), serological tests
 Opisthorchis sinensis
Treatment & Control:
◦ Praziquantel, albendazole, tribendimidine
◦ Avoiding feeding or eating of raw, undercooked or improperly pickled, salted, smoked
or dried fish
◦ Freezing fish for a week at -10°C may be beneficial
◦ Endemic areas: treat all infected person and improve sanitation

◦ In areas where fish are raised in ponds:

◦ Human and animal faeces should be composted or sterilized before being applied as
fertilizer to ponds
 Family Opisthorchiidae
Opisthorchis tenuicollis=Opisthorchis felineus (Cat liver fluke)
• Measures 7-12 by 1.5-2.5 mm. reddish in color.
• Cuticle: smooth

Predilection site: Bile ducts; rarely intestine and pancreatic ducts

DH: Dogs, cat, fox, pig, Cetaceans and man
 Opisthorchis felineus
Ova: 26-30 by 11-15 µm; similar to O. sinensis
Esophagus: short
Ceca: extend almost to the posterior end
Testes: lobed
Excretory bladder: passes between testes
Prostate and cirrus gland: absent
Ovary: small; midline beginning at the posterior thirds
Vitelline glands: middle thirds of lateral fields
Geographical distribution:
Mainly in Italy, Germany,
Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan,
Ukraine, Canada

1st IH: Bithynia leachi

2nd IH: Fresh water fish –

Leuciscus rutilus, Blicca
bjoerkna, Tinca tinca, Idus
melanotis, Barbus barbus,
Abramis brama, etc.
 Opisthorchis felineus
PPP: 2-3 weeks
Pathology:
◦ Fibrosis of the smaller bile ducts
◦ Cholangiohepatitis and severe biliary fibrosis in advanced cases
◦ Adenocarcinoma of liver/pancreas of cats and man

Diagnosis: Similar to O. sinensis

Treatment and Control: Praziquantel and albendazole; Avoid eating raw or undercooked
fish
 Family Opistorchiidae
Opisthorchis viverrini (Southeast Asian liver fluke)
• Average size: 7.0 × 1.5 mm

Cirrus sac and cirrus: absent

Testes: deeply lobed, diagonal; near the posterior extremity
Ovary: multilobated
Excretory bladder: runs between testes

Predilection site: Bile ducts

 Opisthorchis viverrini
DH: Humans; other mammals such as dogs, cats, rats,
pigs

Geographical distribution: mainly in northeast

Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and central and southern
Vietnam
1st IH – Bithynia sp.
◦ B. goniompharus, B. funiculate, B. siamensis
2nd IH – Cyprinid fishes
◦ Cyclocheilichthys spp., Puntius spp., Hampala dispa
 Opisthorchis viverrini
Mild CS: dyspepsia, abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea

Chronic infection: symptoms can be more severe; hepatomegaly and

malnutrition may be present

Rare cases: cholangitis, cholecystitis, and cholangiocarcinoma

Diagnosis: similar to O. sinensis and O. felineus

Treatment and control: similar to O. felineus
 Family Opisthorchiidae
Opisthorchis obsequens
◦ Domestic ducks

Tubangorchis caintaensis
◦ Hypotaenidia philippensis
◦ Type locality: Cainta

Evranorchis/Opistorchis ophidiarum
◦ Lapemis hardwickii
◦ Type locality: Paombong, Bulacan
 Family Opisthorchiidae
Pseudamphistomum truncatum
• Measures 2-2.25 by 0.6-0.8 mm
• Sucker-like ventro-terminal depression

Body: truncate posteriorly

Cuticle: spiny
Ventral sucker: nearly as large as the oral sucker

Geographic distribution: Europe, India

 Pseudamphistomum truncatum
Predilection site: Bile ducts
DH: Phoca vitulina
◦ Others: Dog, cat, fox, glutton, otter, man

1st IH: Bithynia sp.

2nd IH: Cyprinid fishes

Pathogenicity
◦ Not well known except for liver enlargement and bile duct fibrosis in silver fox
 Family Opistorchiidae
Metorchis albidus
Predilection site: gall bladder and bile ducts
DH: Dog, cat, fox and grey seal
Geographical distribution: Europe and North America

• Cuticle: spiny
• Testes: lobed and diagonally placed
• Ovary: rounded, located in front of the anterior testis
 Family Opistorchiidae
Metorchis conjunctus
• Similar to the previous species

Predilection site: bile ducts

DH: cats, dogs, fox, mink and raccoon
 Family Opistorchiidae
Parametorchis complexus
• Measures 5-10 mm x 1.5-2 mm
Predilection site: bile ducts
DH: Cats and dogs
Geographical distribution: Maryland, New York, DC

• Uterus: forms a rosette around the ventral sucker

• Vitelline glands: confined to the anterior third
• Testes: lobed; lie in tandem in the posterior part
Echinostomatidae
JACQUIELYN A. BAYDO, DVM
Class Trematoda: Digenea
Families:
1. Fasciolidae (4 genera)
2. Dicrocoeliidae (3 genera)
3. Opisthorchiidae (4 genera)
4. Echinostomatidae (5 genera)
5. Heterophyidae (6 genera)
6. Plagiorchidae (2 genera)
7. Notocotylidae (3 genera)
8. Brachylaemidae (2 genera)
9. Troglotrematidae (4 genera)
10. Cyclocoelidae (1 genus)
11. Paramphistomatidae (10 genera)
12. Strigeidae (3 genera)
13. Diplostomatidae (2 genera)
14. Schistosomatidae (3 genera)
 Family Echinostomatidae
Echino – Gk. Prickly, Spiny, Thorns
Stoma – Gk. Mouth

Ventral sucker: strong; not far behind the oral sucker

Parasitic Intestine of a great spectrum of vertebrate hosts:
◦ Birds, mammals
◦ Occasionally, reptiles, and fishes
 Family Echinostomatidae
Echinostoma revolutum
◦ 10–20 mm long and up to 2 mm in width
◦ Head-collar: armed with around 37 spines; some
forming groups of ‘corner’ spines

Geographical distribution: Worldwide

Predilection site: Ceca, rectum

DH: Duck, goose, pigeon, various fowl, aquatic birds

◦ Can also infect humans
 Echinostoma revolutum
Ova: slightly yellowish in color, operculated; ~95–120 by 60–70 μm

Cuticle: spiny on the anterior region

Testes: tandem; elongate, oval or slightly lobed; behind the middle
Ovary: anterior to testes
1st IH: aquatic 2nd IH: Same
snails snail or
particularly Vivipara sp.,
Stagnicola sp. Sphaerium sp.,
Helisoma sp. Fossaria sp.,
Lymnaea sp. kidney of
tadpoles/frogs
 Echinostoma revolutum
Pathogenicity: Heavy infections may cause enteritis

Diagnosis: Fecal exam; adults needed for definitive diagnosis

Treatment: Carbon tetrachloride, tetrachloroethylene

Prevention: Extermination of snail population

 Family Echinostomatidae
Echinostoma ilocanum “Garrison fluke”

Head collar: showing a total of 51 collar

spines

Geographical distribution: Cambodia,

China, India, Indonesia, Java, Malaysia,
Philippines, Thailand
 Echinostoma ilocanum “Garrison fluke”

Infection: occurs when the infected 2nd IH is eaten either raw or improperly cooked

Human infections: can be prevented if food is cooked adequately

 Family Echinostomatidae
Echinoparyphium paraulum
Syn=Echinostoma columbae=Echinostoma paraulum

Head collar: continuous w/ ventral surface; bears 37

spines
Tegument: usually almost completely covered in
spines
Ventral sucker: more prominent than the oral sucker.
Testes: in tandem; lie in the third quarter of the body
 Echinoparyphium paraulum
Predilection site: small intestine
DH: Duck, pigeon, human

1st IH: Aquatic snails

2nd IH: Fish

Pathogenicity: Can cause weakness, inappetence, diarrhea, death in pigeons

Treatment: Carbon tetrachloride and niclosamide have been suggested
 Family Echinostomatidae
Echinoparyphium recurvatum
◦ Curved ventrally
◦ Spines: present anterior to the ventral sucker
◦ Head‐crown: armed with spines
Testes: oval; tandem; not lobed and in contact with
each other

Geographical distribution: Worldwide, particularly Asia

and North Africa
DH: Duck, goose, chicken, pigeon, human
 Echinoparyphium recurvatum
Predilection site: SI (esp. duodenum)
1st IH: Lymnaea spp., Planorbis spp.
2nd IH: : Frogs (Rana temporaria), tadpoles, snails (Valvata piscinalis and Planorbis albus)
and shellfish

Pathogenicity: Anemia, weakness, emaciation

◦ Necropsy – swelling of the mucosa
Treatment: Carbon tetrachloride
Prevention: Extermination of snails, prevention of ingestion of tadpoles