Clonorchis sinensis and Clonorchiasis: The Relevance of Exploring Genetic Variation

Abstract

Parasitic trematodes (flukes) cause substantial mortality and morbidity in humans. The Chinese liver fluke, Clonorchis sinensis, is one of the most destructive parasitic worms in humans in China, Vietnam, Korea and the Russian Far East. Although C. sinensis infection can be controlled relatively well using anthelmintics, the worm is carcinogenic, inducing cholangiocarcinoma and causing major suffering in ~ 15 million people in Asia. This chapter provides an account of C. sinensis and clonorchiasis research—covering aspects of biology, epidemiology, pathogenesis and immunity, diagnosis, treatment and control, genetics and genomics. It also describes progress in the area of molecular biology (..