Overview
Liver flukes are parasites of the liver that often get inside the body through contaminated food, raw or uncooked items, or contaminated water. They get to the liver after getting into our gastrointestinal system and cause symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting, and often diarrhea. They can be treated with prescription medications like albendazole and praziquantel. They are prescribed after careful diagnosis and medical tests by healthcare providers. You can get rid of or avoid them by having clean or cooked meals and maintaining proper hygiene.
What are liver flukes?
Liver flukes are a collective term for the polyphyletic group of parasitic trematodes. These are the living parasites of the liver naturally present in mammals that can move along the bloodstream and travel to other body organs. Due to this, they often get stuck in the gall bladder, bile ducts, or other body organs. They also get eliminated via urine or stool in larger amounts and can be seen with the naked eye.
What are the symptoms of liver flukes in humans?
Some of the most prominent symptoms of liver flukes in humans are :
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
- Unexplained weight loss
- Enlarged liver
- Loss of appetite
- Hives or rash
There are some rare symptoms of liver flukes as well, including :
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) leads to pain and swelling.
- Cholangitis is also one of the rare symptoms of liver flukes, which affect the bile ducts and cause fever or chills.
Biliary cirrhosis is a severe medical condition that liver flukes can rarely cause in the body in the long term. It can also lead to liver scarring or failure, says Dr Richard Honekar
How do people get liver flukes?
The most common way to get liver flukes is by swallowing it through the mouth in the form of food you consume, such as fruits or vegetables. More specifically, liver flukes get into your gastrointestinal system when you eat vegetables in raw form or without the proper washing. It also gets transferred from contaminated water.
They live or travel in areas where liver flukes are common and come into contact with contaminated water or food sources.
How do you diagnose liver flukes in humans?
Liver flukes can easily be seen in your stool or when passing urine. Other than that, there are specific diagnostic procedures that can indicate the presence of antibodies in the blood. After the proper diagnosis, your healthcare provider will prescribe you:
- Blood test where the blood sample will be taken
- Stool analysis test
Both reports will indicate a number of things. After examining the test results, your healthcare provider will confirm the presence of flukes in your stool and prescribe you medications accordingly.
How to get rid of liver fluke?
There are a number of ways by which you can get rid of liver flukes.
Prescription medication
Flukes are parasites, and to treat them, antiparasitic medication is prescribed to eliminate the flukes from the body effectively. The main prescribed antiparasitic medications are
Albendazole and Praziquantel
- Albendazole is part of the class of anthelmintic agents with a special action against liver flukes, and it becomes effective against Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica. It achieved this by affecting the flukes’ cellular protein and tubulin polymerization, whereby their metabolism is thrown off balance; hence, they die. This is administered once daily at 10 mg/kg but may be repeated 12 hours later if the situation calls for it. The dose and scheduled dose may, therefore, differ depending on the level of the infection and the patient’s reaction to the particular treatment. Headache, dizziness, nausea, abdominal pain, and raised levels of liver enzymes are moderate side effects of the drugs.
- Another antiparasitic drug that can be used to treat liver fluke infections is Praziquantel. It enhances the entry of calcium ions into the fluke’s cells, renders the fluke’s muscles paralyzed, and ultimately kills it. In cases of liver flukes, the duration of treatment is a single dose of 25 mg/kg a day given in three divisions. However, the dosage and the duration are varied depending on the kind of liver flukes that are affecting the patient as well as the level of infection. Possible complications include moderate headache, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting, sometimes a temporary rise in liver enzymes, and diarrhea. At times, side effects, such as allergic reactions, may result from the use of the product, or in severe cases, other complications may arise.
Regular checkups with the doctor
Continuous checkups with the doctor about your overall mental health can help you prevent and stay away from diseases like these. They will give you the advantage of blood or urine/stool tests that will help you diagnose the medical condition even in the very initial stages or when it’s about to affect the body.
It also helps maintain the overall health of your organs, as it monitors liver function and ensures the infection is completely eradicated after the prescription treatment is finished. It also helps prevent relapse.
Dietary precautions
A change in diet can help get rid of it or prevent liver fluke in the first place. Avoid any raw or undercooked food. Either in the form of vegetables or seafood, avoiding such a diet can help you prevent and develop diseases like these.
Good hygiene practices, including clean food and water with zero contamination, can also help prevent the development and spread of these diseases.
What are some natural remedies for liver fluke infections?
Some of the most recommended and used natural remedies for liver flukes are :
- Using garlic cloves and ginger is highly beneficial in the diet as they are known for their antiparasitic properties.
- Turmeric that contains curcumin has natural antiparasitic properties.
- Pumpkin seeds contain compounds that can help expel parasites from the body.
- Consuming ground papaya seeds mixed with honey can help in treating liver fluke infections.
- Taking black walnut tincture or capsules can be effective against liver flukes.
Other than diet, taking care of and maintaining good hygiene is also one of the most important natural remedies for treating liver flu.
Consult a doctor
Get connected with an online doctor for timely diagnosis of liver flukes through blood tests or stool analysis tests and get the most suited and well-tailored prescription for it.
FAQs about liver flukes in stool
Yes. On effective treatment of the liver, flukes do go away. Regular checkups with the healthcare provider can help you prevent any relapse of liver flukes in the long term.
If liver flukes go untreated, they can cause cancer of the biliary ducts (cholangiocarcinoma), which is a severe medical condition. It’s essential to get the diagnosis at the right time to avoid any medical complications like cancer, etc.
