There are various limitations on the efficacy of anticryptosporidal drugs with a critical need to
have better alternatives. This study evaluated the effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus),
a probiotic and chitosan, a natural polysaccharide as compared to azithromycin (AZT), as
single therapy and in combination in treatment of cryptosporidiosis on infected neonatal mice.
The three therapeutics individually showed significant decrease in Cryptosporidium oocysts
shedding 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 oocysts
numbers detected in the intestine, resolved totally the neutrophilic activity, without affecting the
intestinal inflammation, but caused liver inflammation improvement. AZT/L. acidophilus combination
caused highest reduction in oocysts shedding (93.44%), followed by chitosan/L. acidophilus
combination (92.76%). These results represented a significant improvement compared to AZT
single therapy (P-values 0.012 & 0.024 respectively) or chitosan single therapy (P <0.001 for both
combinations). Besides, all therapeutic combinations removed any apparent parasite in the intestine
and halted acute neutrophilic activity. Intestinal inflammation totally disappeared with chitosan/
L. acidophilus combination. Liver inflammations improved with drug combinations, but did
not resolve totally as mostly observed with single therapy