(Dujardin, 1845), the neglected helminth of European rodents.

Abstract

The digenean trematode,, is a frequently reported component species in studies of helminth communities of wild rodents in Europe, especially those of wood mice and bank voles. It has been known since Dujardin first described the species in 1845, and yet its life cycle is still poorly defined, although Dicrocoeliidae typically have at least 3 hosts in their life cycles. Here, we review the history of nomenclature changes of the species, morphological studies, definitive mammalian host species range and evidence for the identity of intermediate hosts. We also review the epidemiology of, searching for commonalities between studies that have assessed the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic variables on both prevalence and abundance of the species in wood mice. Furthermore, we identify gaps in knowledge and propose key objectives for future work on the species. We emphasize that if the life cycle ofcould be established in the laboratory and maintained in laboratory mice, as a hepatopancreatic specialist in its definitive host, the parasite may turn out to be the source of novel medicines for the treatment of human pancreatic/liver diseases.