%0 Journal Article %T EVALUATION OF LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS, CHITOSAN AND/OR AZITHROMYCIN IN TREATING CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS IN NEONATAL MICE %J Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology %I The Egyptian Society of Parasitology %Z 1110-0583 %A IMAM, NAGLAA F. A. %A . ZALAT, RABAB S %A NEGM, MOHAMED SHERIF %A BOCKTOR, NARDEEN ZAKKA %D 2022 %\ 08/01/2022 %V 52 %N 2 %P 183-192 %! EVALUATION OF LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS, CHITOSAN AND/OR AZITHROMYCIN IN TREATING CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS IN NEONATAL MICE %K Cryptosporidium %K Neonatal mice %K Lactobacillus acidophilus %K Chitosan %K Azithromycin %R 10.21608/jesp.2022.257331 %X There are various limitations on the efficacy of anticryptosporidal drugs with a critical need tohave better alternatives. This study evaluated the effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus),a probiotic and chitosan, a natural polysaccharide as compared to azithromycin (AZT), assingle therapy and in combination in treatment of cryptosporidiosis on infected neonatal mice.The three therapeutics individually showed significant decrease in Cryptosporidium oocystsshedding compared to control (P <0.001). However, L. acidophilus caused a higher reduction(91.07%) compared to both AZT (83.19%) and chitosan (65.61%). Also, they reduced the oocystsnumbers detected in the intestine, resolved totally the neutrophilic activity, without affecting theintestinal inflammation, but caused liver inflammation improvement. AZT/L. acidophilus combinationcaused highest reduction in oocysts shedding (93.44%), followed by chitosan/L. acidophiluscombination (92.76%). These results represented a significant improvement compared to AZTsingle therapy (P-values 0.012 & 0.024 respectively) or chitosan single therapy (P <0.001 for bothcombinations). Besides, all therapeutic combinations removed any apparent parasite in the intestineand halted acute neutrophilic activity. Intestinal inflammation totally disappeared with chitosan/L. acidophilus combination. Liver inflammations improved with drug combinations, but didnot resolve totally as mostly observed with single therapy %U https://jesp.journals.ekb.eg/article_257331_c81fccaaebf8c7b5662e02b99b25e68b.pdf