A preliminary study on dicrocoeliasis in Egypt, with a general review.

Dicrocoelium dendriticum (D. dendriticum) is a lancet-shape liver fluke that affects sheep and mammals including man. Human and animal infections have been world widely reported particularly in some of the Eastern Mediterranean sheep raising countries. Infection is acquired by eating the second intermediate host (17 species of ants) with raw fruits, vegetables, herbs or even with the drinking water. As for the first intermediate host, there is about 54 different species of land snails. In spite of the fact that both the first and second intermediate hosts of D. dendriticum are available in Egypt, data about human and animal dicrocoeliasis is lacking. This investigation is a preliminary study to report on the presence of D. dendriticum (in sheep, goats and man in North Sinai Governorate) in Egypt.