Efficacy of nitazoxanide against experimental cryptosporidiosis in goat neonates.

Abstract

Preliminary results obtained in mice, rats and piglets experimentally infected with Cryptosporidium sp have indicated a partial prophylactic or curative efficacy of nitazoxanide when administered between 50 and 250 mg/kg BW. In this study, the efficacy of nitazoxanide was evaluated in goat neonates experimentally infected with Cryptosporidium sp oocysts. Forty-seven 2- to 4-day-old kids were experimentally infected once on day 0 with 10(6) Cryptosporidium oocysts isolated from a dead kid, and allocated to three groups. Group 1 acted as control untreated group, group 2 received nitazoxanide for 8 days from day -1 to day 6 at a daily dose rate of 200 mg/kg BW, group 3 received nitazoxanide for 7 days from day 2 to day 8 at 100 mg/kg BW. Individual oocyst shedding was monitored by daily examination of faecal smears stained by carbol fuchsin and scored semi-quantitatively (zero to four). The other criteria included for nitazoxanide evaluation were weight gain and mortality. In the control group, oocyst shedding that started 3 days post-inoculation (PI) was maximal 6-7 days PI (mean scores ranging from 1.69 to 1.94) and became undetectable from day 16 PI. In group 2, oocyst shedding started 1 day later, peaked 9-11 days PI (1.33 to 1.5) and vanished day 18 PI. In group 3, results were similar to those of group 1 except for the mean scores ranging from 1.0 to 1.58. No significant difference was seen for weight gains between groups. Five kids died in group 1 as well as in group 3, whereas seven kids died in group 2. An acute toxicity of nitazoxanide was suspected as soon as the first 2 days of treatment.