Transcriptomic analysis of the ovine hepatic lymph node during fasciolosis. Ovine fasciolosis

Nineteen male Merino-breed sheep, between six and nine-months of age, sourced from a liver fluke-free farm were included. Animals were housed at the Research Farm of the University of Córdoba (100 m2 covered and 100 m2 uncovered facilities). Prior to inclusion, all animals were tested for helminth eggs by faecal sedimentation, with no eggs detected. Additionally, all animals were tested nine weeks before infection for serum IgG specific for F. hepatica cathepsin L1 (FhCL1) using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Sheep were randomly allocated to Group 1 (n = 11) infected, and Group 2 (n = 8) uninfected. Sheep from Group 1 were orally infected with a single dose of 120 F. hepatica metacercariae of the Ridgeway (Gloucestershire, UK) strain, and all animals were kept in the same conditions for 16 weeks.