Are deer with liver flukes edible (BEWARE PICS)

[xavierdoc]

Shot a healthy looking fallow buck this morning. During the gralloch, I noticed the liver was mottled at one margin and so at home I dissected it in slices and found three flukes. Nothing else worrying found during gralloch or post-mortem; nodes, lungs etc. all OK.

Here is the deer:

Here are some pics of the liver and the flukes therin. Note the thickened wall of duct in the middle pic.

I am under the impression the flukes are not transmissable to humans, though I am not planning to eat the liver! Fascioloides magna certainly isn't transmissable but these flukes look different.

I am planning on eating the venison but will leave the deer to hang while researching further. Thanks for any info, folks.

Happy Easter,

Xav

 

[Matthew.Passmore]

I think the meat is fine as long as it is properly cooked, but not 100%

 

[Hoodoo]

Any idea what species of fluke that is? Also, have you looked at the meat? Human liver flukes such as Chlonorchis (Chinese liver fluke) are transmitted by consuming the cyst stage, not the adult. If the meat is "measly" with cysts, I'd think twice about eating it. Cooking does kill cysts though.

 

[Cobweb]

Made me shiver, dunno if that means anything to ya but I wouldn't eat the liver and I'd probally cook the meat very well.

 

[locum76]

i know when sheep have fluke (Fasciola hepatica) only the liver gets condemned.

 

[Toddy]

Well done on spotting this
There is another forum, The Stalking Directory, who have a thread running on this just now.
http://www.thestalkingdirectory.co....?p=32438&sid=9cea4fbab22c6a0593a84c3d6f35c114

Basically it seems like the beast is fine to eat so long as you dispose of the liver and the urinary tract bits.

They're hoping for pictures from someone, they might appreciate yours

cheers,
Toddy

 

[xavierdoc]

Any idea what species of fluke that is? Also, have you looked at the meat? Human liver flukes such as Chlonorchis (Chinese liver fluke) are transmitted by consuming the cyst stage, not the adult. If the meat is "measly" with cysts, I'd think twice about eating it. Cooking does kill cysts though.

I don't know the species, but it looks very like fasciola hepatica. I think the lifecycle of the most common flukes in deer involves transmission by ingesting "cysts" on vegetation, rather than in the meat of infected animals (pond/mud snails are a host in a different part of the lifecylce.)

The lungs were fine but I'll have a good look for cysts of any kind when butchering.

Cheers,

Xav

 

[w00dsmoke]

Doc is maybe the man with the most knowledge on this being a doc and a stalker I believe?

This is fascinating subject and one that makes me cringe. I cannot stand the thought of parasites and I guess most parasites are host specific in differing parts of their lifestyle but it would be interesting to know what isn't and what we could catch out and about in the UK.

All the nasties that sheep, cattle and deer can carry well are we at risk? Good hygene dictates that you would boil/purify water and keep clean while avoiding the obvious facal matter and the like, but what about the not so obvious? Like do people in th Uk catch any of these nasties and if so how would you know you had liver fluke or certain passengers inside you?

When I was a kid I caught threadworm and had a couple of milkshakes and that was it sorted, it wasn't pleasant but it was dealt with. I've had plenty ticks in my time again easily dealt with, I've had leaches too and again easy to deal with. I caught ringworm (a fungal infection), slightly harder to deal with but what about the other stuff? It's nice living in the dark sometimes but it would be good to know...

Jack London talked about cysts in wild meat and naturally thought he was full of them too, but he decided it wasn't worth bothering about...

 

[Toddy]

Coal tar shampoo shifts ringworm. Basically cover the affected part with the shampoo and cover with gloves or pyjamas or the like. Go to bed as usual, sleep and shower off in the morning.

Probably 'contra indicated' nowadays so the NHS spends a fortune on some tablet that needs to be administered for three weeks or so....grumble, grumble, moan

cheers,
Toddy

 

[w00dsmoke]

Coal tar shampoo shifts ringworm. Basically cover the affected part with the shampoo and cover with gloves or pyjamas or the like. Go to bed as usual, sleep and shower off in the morning.

Probably 'contra indicated' nowadays so the NHS spends a fortune on some tablet that needs to be administered for three weeks or so....grumble, grumble, moan

cheers,
Toddy

Wow that is amazing! Thanks for that info. Would that work with most fungal infections like athletes foot?

 

[Toddy]

Don't see why not but the coal tar stuff does get a bad rep these days
Pot. perm. works on athlete's foot but so does tea tree oil. Just wipe some over the feet and put your cotton or wool socks on.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[suburban bushwacker]

Was the deer in question from a herd or wild?
SBW

 

[He' s left the building]

Wilson's 'Practical Meat Inspection' is the recommended reading for vet school and MHS inspectors, I would have looked this up for you but I lent my copy out years ago and I haven't got it back yet!

May be worth buying if you regularly shoot your own game?

Hope that helps, sorry I couldn't give a definitive answer (which is quite embarassing as I did a meat hygiene course at Langford a few years ago... )

 

[Hoodoo]

I don't know the species, but it looks very like fasciola hepatica. I think the lifecycle of the most common flukes in deer involves transmission by ingesting "cysts" on vegetation, rather than in the meat of infected animals (pond/mud snails are a host in a different part of the lifecylce.)

The lungs were fine but I'll have a good look for cysts of any kind when butchering.

Cheers,

Xav

Here is a photo I took of F. hepatica from a prepared slide.

 

[xavierdoc]

Here is a photo I took of F. hepatica from a prepared slide.

Thanks for the pic. Looks like the slide is a section, presumably stained (with something like haemotoxylin and eosin?) so I couldn't really compare it with my whole specimens! Certainly the arrangement of the oral sucker and the acetabulum are similar. I had no idea platyhelminths had an acetabulum. The only acetabulum I am familiar with is that of the hip joint (though I suppose anything that resembles a "vinegar cup" warrants the name.)

Toddy -I only just noticed your post which mentioned discarding the liver AND the urinary tract. Unfortunately, I ate one of the kidneys this morning (it was delicious with the tenderloin, this morning's eggs and some 'shrooms) so I hope I live! Thanks for the pointer to the stalking website -I have registered and will post some pics.

Cheers, all.

 

[xavierdoc]

Was the deer in question from a herd or wild?
SBW

Wild (well, you would be, too, wouldn't you? )

 

[pete79]

Eat it up. The meat is fine. If you find the flukes scary, wait till you come across nasal botfly larvae.