ECHINOCOCCUS DISEASE OF THE LIVER 169 



circulation occasionally happens, which accounts for their 

 appearance in newborn calves. 



S3rmptoms. — In cattle, as a rule, notwithstanding the 

 great inroads which the parasites make on the liver, clinical 

 symptoms are absent. In sheep, however, they produce 

 symptoms of a severe general disease — anemia, hydremia 

 and ultimately cachexia. After a latent period of one to 

 two months, and usually in the autumn, the infested sheep 

 begin showing symptoms of general anemia ("paper skin"). 

 In the early winter the sheep grow thin, show chronic 

 indigestion, weakness, edema of the eyelids, throat region, 

 and ventral portion of the abdomen (anasarca), and also 

 ascites. As these symptoms may also occur in other worm 

 plagues of the sheep a diagnosis can be made only by a 

 necropsy or by examining the feces for eggs. 



Course. — ^The course is very varied. In severe cases after 

 a period of three months death ensues. In other instances 

 the sheep may live through the winter and die in the spring, 

 or recover after the emigration of the flukes, which takes 

 place in the following autumn. 



Treatment. — A medicinal treatment is of no value. Experi- 

 ence with arsenic and the various vermifuges has given 

 no results. The principal indication is to strengthen the 

 constitution of the sheep by intensive feeding and proper 

 care. 



Prophylaxis. — The sheep should be kept off infested 

 pastures, especially land which lies low, be given a wide range 

 and kept in small flocks. Short pasture is dangerous be- 

 cause the cercariae are found close to the grass roots. The 

 egg-infested manure should be spread out on land which 

 is to be tilled and the livers of the dead sheep rendered 

 harmless. 



ECHINOCOCCUS DISEASE OF THE LIVER. 



Definition. — ^An inflammation of the liver due to an inva- 

 sion of the echinococcus parasite. 



Occurrence. — The disease is quite common in cattle and 

 swine but rare in other animals. 



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