Seasonal dynamics of Fasciola hepatica burdens in grazing timahdit sheep in Morocco

Seasonal transmission of Fasciola hepatica was observed in sentinel sheep and the dynamics of the snail intermediate host, Lymnaea truncatula, was followed over a 3-year study period in the Middle-Atlas mountains in Morocco. High fluke burdens were recorded in both lambs and ewes in the fall and winter, suggesting that transmission occurred in late spring. Fluke burdens ranged from one to 302 in ewes and from one to 345 in lambs. Infections with 200 or more flukes were always fatal. A unique feature of this study was the annual cyclical fluctuation of the fluke burdens. Burdens reached maximum levels during the winter and then declined to low numbers by late spring and summer. This suggested self-regulation which may be dependent on breed resistance or may be related to forage factors, including lack of forage (nutritional stress). Snail populations were cyclical and correlated with fluke transmission as observed in the sentinel sheep. The weather was observed to affect the snail populations which in turn limited fluke transmission.