Ershiya Bagheri Torbehbar Elham Houshmand
Fascioliasis, a secondary zoonotic disease until mid-1990s is emerging or re-emerging in many countries. Fasciola, a leaf-like worm, is deemed to be one of the most neglected parasites which is responsible for fascioliasis and can lead to livestock and human infection. In the last few decades, its significant outbreak led it to become an important health problem and financial loss all around the world. Fascioliasis has uneven geographic distribution. It has been seen in 61 countries, where it is able to put 180 million individual’s lives at stake. According to the WHO, Iran is an endemic region for fascioliasis and it had become included among six countries that have been affected by this helminth. It has been estimated that 6 million Iranian are at risk of this disease. This disease has become a major issue and has been frequently seen in the Northern provinces, suited alongside the shore of the Caspian Sea, particularly in Gilan Province, where the greatest fascioliasis outbreak happened. The important factors such as management and husbandry of flocks and herds, climate conditions, food habits, ecological aspects of transmission of Fasciola, presence of interface host, and free ruminants grazing are the main reasons behind the existence of this zoonotic disease in north of Iran.