title: Therapeutic efficacy of paromomycin in immunosuppressed adult mice infected with Cryptosporidium parvum.
abstract: The intent of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of paromomycin in immunosuppressed adult C57BL/6N mice infected with Cryptosporidium parvum. Seven groups of 10 mice/group were used. Groups 1, 2, and 7 served as normal, toxicity, and placebo controls, respectively. Groups 2-7 were immunosuppressed with dexamethasone phosphate administered ad libitum in drinking water. Groups 3-7 were infected with C. parvum on day 7 postimmunosuppression. Groups 3-6 were treated by administering paromomycin per os for 10 consecutive days, beginning on day 10 postinfection, at dosage levels of 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 g/kg/day, respectively. Paromomycin was judged to be nontoxic at the dosage levels used. Groups 1 and 2 remained uninfected while groups 3-7 began shedding oocysts by day 3 postinfection. Paromomycin was therapeutically effective against C. parvum at 1 and 2 g/kg/day as determined by significant reductions in fecal oocyst shedding (P < 0.01), parasite colonization (P < 0.05), and villus atrophy (P < 0.05) in the ilea and terminal ilea of infected mice. We conclude that paromomycin may be useful in the treatment and palliation of cryptosporidiosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan 84322-5600.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Healey
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum / Q000187:drug effects; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D007082:Ileum / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010303:Paromomycin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D010303:Paromomycin