title: Efficacy of nitazoxanide and paromomycin in biliary tract cryptosporidiosis in an immunosuppressed gerbil model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of nitazoxanide and paromomycin in biliary tract cryptosporidiosis in an immunosuppressed Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gerbils (1-month-old) were dexamethasone-immunosuppressed for 10 days and challenged orally with 10(5) Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts. From day 0 to day 12 post-infection, one group (n=14) was treated with 200 mg/kg/day nitazoxanide and another (n=15) with 100 mg/kg/day paromomycin. Infection and efficacy of nitazoxanide and paromomycin were assessed by measuring oocyst shedding in faeces, biliary tract and ileum histological examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In nitazoxanide-treated and paromomycin-treated groups as compared with untreated animals (P<0.05), oocyst shedding was partially suppressed in a similar manner (P>0.05). Parasites were present in histological sections of the ileal mucosa of 16/16 infected untreated animals versus 3/14 and 6/15 in the nitazoxanide-treated and the paromomycin-treated groups, respectively (P<0.05). In addition, gall bladder infection was less frequent in nitazoxanide-treated (2/14, P<0.01) and paromomycin-treated (5/15, P=0.07) animals than in untreated controls (9/16). No histological alteration of biliary mucosa was observed in both treated and untreated infected gerbils.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Present data support the efficacy of nitazoxanide and, to a lesser extent, paromomycin on biliary C. parvum infection in gerbils, and prompt further investigation of the potential clinical benefits of nitazoxanide in treating human biliary cryptosporidiosis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Parasitologie, ADEN EA3234, CHU Charles Nicolle, Rouen, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baishanbo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gargala
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duclos
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: François
authors.forename: J-F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Rossignol
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ballet
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Favennec
mesh_terms: D000563:Amebicides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D002417:Cattle; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000469:parasitology; D005849:Gerbillinae; D007082:Ileum / Q000469:parasitology; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D010303:Paromomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000563:Amebicides; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D013844:Thiazoles; D010303:Paromomycin; D003907:Dexamethasone; C041747:nitazoxanide