Fascioliasis – Is Your Liver Rotting?

what is Fascioliasis?

Fascioliasis is also known as liver rot and is a condition that is caused by Fasciola parasitic worm. It is one of those infections that primarily affect animals but is then passed on to human beings through contaminated food or water.

Where is fasciola found?

The primary host for these worms is the infected animal. When such an animal passes stools in a water body, the eggs of these parasites are released into the water since these parasites reside in the bile ducts of the infected animal.

Once the eggs are in the water body, they hatch into larvae which then find water snails as temporary hosts. The larvae reproduce and multiply inside the snail’s body and get released into the water again.

Then they attach themselves to the leaves and stems of aquatic plants like watercress and water mint. When such plants are ingested in the form of salads or other preparations, it leads to the transfer of this Fasciola parasite into the final host which is the human body.

Symptoms of liver rot:

Acute Fascioliasis

1. The first 2-4 months is known as the acute phase. This is when the parasitic worms have just penetrated into the wall of the intestine and the membrane around the organs.

After this, the worms penetrate the liver by eating through the liver tissue and finally reach the bile ducts within the liver.

This causes: 

1. 1. Internal bleeding leading to pain in the abdomen
   2. Fever
   3. Nausea
   4. Swollen Liver
   5. Rashes on the skin

Chronic Fascioliasis

2. The next phase is the chronic phase which begins when these parasites start producing eggs within the bile ducts. Through the bile, these worms reach the intestine from where they are ejected in the faeces.

The symptoms in this phase are:

1. 1. Anemia
   2. Jaundice
   3. Pain in the abdomen
   4. Pancreatitis and gallstones may occur
   5. Liver Fibrosis
   6. Inflammation

Causes of Fascioliasis:  

1. It can be caused due to the ingestion of infected aquatic plants like watercress.
2. It can be caused by consuming uncooked or undercooked meat(sheep, lamb, etc.) that is already infected by the worms.

Risk Factors of Fascioliasis: 

In India people living near freshwater bodies are more likely to fall prey to this disease because their diet includes aquatic plants that may carry this worm.

Non-vegetarians are at a risk too since consuming raw meat that is infected will cause this disease.

Diagnosis of liver rot:

1. Physical examination and assessment of travel history and food consumed.
2. Parasitological techniques may be used to determine the eggs of the parasite in the patient’s stools.
3. Immunological techniques may be used to detect the antibodies being produced in the body which are specific to the worm that causes Fascioliasis.

Treatment of liver rot:

Medication or surgery

Triclabendazole is a drug that is used to treat Fascioliasis. It is recommended by the World Health Organization as it is effective against both immature and adult parasites and can be thus used during both acute and chronic phases of the disease.

Complications of liver rot:

If fascioliasis is not treated properly it can lead to the following complications:

1. Chronic discomfort in the stomach and the gastrointestinal tract.
2. Halzoun Syndrome can be an outcome if a certain type of worm is ingested.
3. Chronic liver ailment which leads to liver fibrosis or even liver failure

How can curcumin be used to manage symptoms of liver rot?

The benefits of curcumin in the management of liver disease have been acknowledged worldwide.

The British National Health Service (NHS) for instance accepts curcumin as a possible alternate remedy to cure liver disease based on research carried out on mice by Dr. Anna Baghdasaryan from the Laboratory of Experimental and Molecular Hepatology at the Medical University Graz in Austria.

The study was published in the medical journal Gut. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties of curcumin make it an ideal supplement for keeping the liver healthy and strong.

• Curcumin is known as a blood purifying agent. It helps in removing toxins from the body so that the liver does not get over-burdened thereby eliminating the risk of liver disease.
• The anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin help in bringing down the inflammation caused by liver disease thus bringing relief to the patient.
• The antioxidant properties of curcumin help in mitigating oxidative stress by discouraging the production of ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species). This keeps fibrosis of the liver at bay.
• The anti-cancer properties of curcumin help in preventing liver cancer that could be a potential complication of liver rot.

Livturm is an organic curcumin based supplement produced at Bagdara Farms in Madhya Pradesh. It consists of curcumin which is not just 100% organic but also of very high quality.

Livturm is specially meant for preventing and treating liver diseases of any kind. It is also free from all sorts of chemical residues that may be found in other non-organic supplements.

½ a teaspoon of Livturm with a pinch of black pepper and coconut milk should be boiled and consumed once a day to show maximum results.

Click here for more details: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29241692

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We recommend you to take 6 months course of Livturm.