fluke
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fluke
[flo̳k]an organism of the class trematoda, characterized by a body that is usually flat and often leaflike; flukes can infect the blood, liver, intestines, and lungs. Called also trematode.
Flukes are not common in the United States but are a serious problem in many Asian, tropical, and subtropical countries. The Chinese liver fluke, Clonorchis sinensis, enters the body in raw or improperly cooked fish and may cause enlargement of the liver, jaundice, anemia, and weakness. Another liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica, is occasionally found in humans; it causes obstruction of the bile ducts and enlargement of the liver. Blood flukes such as Schistosoma penetrate the skin, make their way to the blood and travel to various parts of the body (see also schistosomiasis).
Treatment varies according to the type of fluke involved and requires careful medical supervision. Proper cooking of fish provides protection against liver fluke infection. Since snails are carriers of flukes, their destruction, usually by poison, is an effective preventive measure in areas where fluke infection is a problem.
Flukes are not common in the United States but are a serious problem in many Asian, tropical, and subtropical countries. The Chinese liver fluke, Clonorchis sinensis, enters the body in raw or improperly cooked fish and may cause enlargement of the liver, jaundice, anemia, and weakness. Another liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica, is occasionally found in humans; it causes obstruction of the bile ducts and enlargement of the liver. Blood flukes such as Schistosoma penetrate the skin, make their way to the blood and travel to various parts of the body (see also schistosomiasis).
Treatment varies according to the type of fluke involved and requires careful medical supervision. Proper cooking of fish provides protection against liver fluke infection. Since snails are carriers of flukes, their destruction, usually by poison, is an effective preventive measure in areas where fluke infection is a problem.
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.
fluke
(flūk),Common name for members of the class Trematoda (phylum Platyhelminthes). All flukes of mammals (subclass Digenea) are internal parasites in the adult stage and are characterized by complex digenetic life cycles involving a snail initial host, in which larval multiplication occurs, and the release of swimming larvae (cercariae), which directly penetrate the skin of the final host (as in schistosomes), encyst on vegetation (as in Fasciola), or encyst in or on another intermediate host (as in Clonorchis and other fish-borne flukes). Flukes of lower vertebrates (order Monogenea), especially fish, are frequently monogenetic ectoparasites or gill parasites. Blood flukes live in the mesenteric-portal bloodstream and associated vesical and pelvic venous plexuses; they include Schistosoma haematobium (the vesical blood fluke), S. mansoni (Manson intestinal blood fluke), and S. japonicum (the Oriental blood fluke). Other important flukes are Paragonimus westermani (bronchial or lung fluke), Opisthorchis felineus (cat liver fluke), Clonorchis sinensis (Chinese liver or Oriental fluke), Heterophyes heterophyes (Egyptian or small intestinal fluke), Fasciolopsis buski (large intestinal fluke), Dicrocoelium dendriticum (lancet fluke), Fasciola hepatica (liver or sheep liver fluke), and Paramphistomum (rumen fluke).
[A.S. flōc, flatfish]
Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
fluke
(flo͞ok)n.
Any of numerous parasitic flatworms, including the trematodes, some of which infect humans, and the monogeneans, which are chiefly ectoparasites of fish.
The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2007, 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
fluke
Any of a large family of trematodes that infect man as a definitive or accidental host–eg, genuses Heterophyes, Metagonimus, Fasciola, Opisthorchis, Paragonimus, Schistosoma, ClonorchisMcGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
fluke
(flūk)Common name for members of the class Trematoda. All flukes of mammals (subclass Digenea) are internal parasites in the adult stage and are characterized by complex digenetic life cycles involving a snail initial host, in which larval multiplication occurs, and the release of swimming larvae (cercariae) that directly penetrate the skin of the final host (as in schistosomes), encyst on vegetation (as in Fasciola), or encyst in or on another intermediate host (as in Clonorchis and other fish-borne flukes). Blood flukes live in the mesenteric-portal bloodstream and associated vesical and pelvic venous plexuses; they include Schistosoma haematobium (the vesical blood fluke), S. mansoni (Manson intestinal blood fluke), and S. japonicum (the Oriental blood fluke). Other important flukes are Paragonimus westermani (bronchial or lung fluke), Opisthorchis felineus (cat liver fluke), C. sinensis (Chinese liver or Oriental fluke), Heterophyes heterophyes (Egyptian or small intestinal fluke), Fasciolopsis buski (large intestinal fluke), Dicrocoelium dendriticum (lancet fluke), Fasciola hepatica (liver or sheep liver fluke), and Paramphistomum (rumen fluke). Members of the genus Paragonimus are potential biothreat agents.
[A.S. flōc, flatfish]
Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012
fluke
any parasitic flatworm, such as the BLOOD FLUKE or liver fluke, that inhabits the organs of vertebrates and in some causes serious disease. see BILHARZIA.Collins Dictionary of Biology, 3rd ed. © W. G. Hale, V. A. Saunders, J. P. Margham 2005
Fluke
A parasitic flatworm that has external suckers. Flukes are sometimes called trematodes.
Mentioned in: Fluke Infections
Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Patient discussion about fluke
Q. I heard and experienced that the natural medicine is better than modern. I heard and experienced that the natural medicine is better than modern. When I came through a book I read about kombucha, which is not explained in it. What is kombucha?
A. BE CAREFUL;what you read is not always true,there have been results with natural meds for minor medical problems,BUT you also have to no that all meds natural/modern do not work on all people.some off these cures are more hype than anything else.If these natural meds really cured people we would all be healthy--using them with modern meds is your best bet when you have a severe med problem,always check with your DR.NO NOT TRY TO SELF DIAGNOSE,and put somthing in you bodyif you are work,sometimes ther is no turning back---mrfoot56--peace
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