Cryptosporidiosis is a major cause of human diarrhea worldwide in immunocompromised individuals
causing severe, chronic and possibly life threatening diarrhea. Nitazoxanide (NTZ) has
been approved for treatment of diarrhea in immunocompetent children and adults, but not effective
in immunosuppressed individuals. The present study evaluated the effect of NTZ-loaded
chitosan nanoparticles on intestinal dysplastic changes of experimental Cryptosporidium infection
in immunosuppressed murine model using parasitological, histopathological and immunohistochemical
studies. Fifty immunosuppressed male mice, divided into 5 groups (10 each) as
following: G1: non infected control, G2: non-treated infected control, G3: infected then treated
by nitazoxanide, G4: infected then treated by nitazoxanide loaded on chitosan nanoparticles, G5:
infected then treated by chitosan nanoparticles (CS NPs). NTZ loaded on chitosan NPs treated
mice showed the highest significant reduction in oocysts shedding, a remarkable improvement in
histopathological changes and the least expression of cyclin D1 marker denoting the best protection
presented to intestinal dysplastic changes caused by Cryptosporidium infection of the intestine
followed by treatment with NTZ then by treatment with CS NPs alone that showed some
improvement in histopathological and immunohistochemical changes.