Activity of an anti-inflammatory drug against cryptosporidiosis in neonatal lambs.
The efficacy of the anti-inflammatory drug Bobel-24 against experimental infection by Cryptosporidium parvum was evaluated in neonatal lambs. The animals were treated by oral administration of the drug at 50 or 500 mg/kg of body weight. The prophylactic/therapeutic treatment was started 4 h before inoculation of the lambs with oocysts and was continued for eight consecutive days. The therapeutic treatment was initiated at the onset of diarrhoea, after confirmation of infection, and was continued for six consecutive days. Infection was monitored by daily examination of faecal samples from the first day until 30 days post-inoculation. The criteria considered in evaluating development of the infection and the drug activity were: oocyst shedding, presence of diarrhoea and weight gain at 15 and 30 days post-inoculation. Bobel-24 was effective as a prophylactic/therapeutic treatment at the lowest dose (50 mg/kg of body weight); in the group treated with this dose of drug there was a longer prepatent period, a shorter patent period and a lower intensity of oocyst excretion than in the untreated control group, and the differences were all statistically significant (P<0.05). Moreover, one animal did not excrete oocysts, and two lambs had diarrhoea, for only 1 and 2 days. In the group treated with the higher dose of the drug, the diarrhoea lasted for a significantly shorter period (P<0.05) than in the untreated group.
Castro-Hermida
José Antonio
JA
Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Agrarias de Mabegondo-Xunta de Galicia, Carretera AC-542 de Betanzos a Mesón do Vento, Km 7,5. CP 15318, Abegondo (A Coruña), Galicia, Spain. jose.antonio.castro.hermida@xunta.es
García-Presedo
Ignacio
I
González-Warleta
Marta
M
Mezo
Mercedes
M
Fenoy
Soledad
S
Rueda
Cristina
C
del Aguila
Carmen
C
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001724:Birth Weight; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D010636:Phenols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015430:Weight Gain
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents; D010636:Phenols; C066859:2,4,6-triiodophenol