Fasciola hepatica (Linnaeus, 1758) (Trematoda, Digenea) en liebres europeas (Lepus europaeus, Pallas 1778) (Lagomorpha, Leporidae) en la región Cordillerana Patagónica, Chubut, Argentina

Abstract

The European hare Lepus europaeus was found naturally infected with Fasciola hepatica, but in Argentina no studies have ever been performed on this issue. In this work we evaluated the occurrence of infection in hares from the Andean Patagonian Region of Chubut Province. During 1999, 162328 hares from the northwest of the province were examined for F. hepatica juveniles and adults. In January and March 2001 faecal pellets were collected from waterbodies within a farm in northwestern Chubut province, where cattle and snail infection was already confirmed. Infection prevalence of the examined hares was 0.08% and six out of ten pellets from a temporary pond were positive for F. hepatica (epg median = 2). Despite the low prevalence of infection found, L. europaeus may play a significant role in the parasite transmission cycle, regarding that it shares the same habitats with livestock and snails, its abundance is high, and the density of eggs shed into the environment is higher than that of cattle.