Fasciola hepatica, also known as the
common liver fluke or
sheep liver fluke, is a
parasitic trematode (fluke or
flatworm, a type of
helminth) of the
class Trematoda,
phylum Platyhelminthes that infects the livers of various
mammals, including humans. The disease caused by the fluke is called
fascioliasis or fasciolosis, which is a type of
helminthiasis and has been classified as a
neglected tropical disease.
F. hepatica is distributed worldwide, has been known as an important parasite of sheep and cattle for hundreds of years and causes great economic losses in sheep and cattle. Because of its size and economic importance, it has been the subject of many scientific investigations and may be the best-known of any trematode species.