A Preliminary Field Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Spiramycin and Paromomycin Against Cattle Cryptosporidiosis.

INTRODUCTION: Cryptosporidium is responsible not only for large economic losses in the livestock sector, but also for high mortality in infants and immunocompromised people all over the world. Although multiple treatments have been tested in both animals and humans, no drug has yet been found to be 100% effective. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of different treatments, previously used in humans, against cryptosporidiosis in calves. METHODS: Faecal samples were collected twice a week for 4 consecutive weeks from a total of 83 animals divided into different experimental groups: control group (no treatment) (C), group treated with spiramycin (S), group treated with paromomycin (P) and group treated with the combination of spiramycin and paromomycin (SP). After concentration by ether sedimentation and subsequent Kinyoun staining, stool samples were analysed to estimate the number of oocysts excreted. In addition, different clinical symptoms, such as the type of diarrhoea, the level of dehydration, etc., were evaluated. RESULTS: The control group had higher levels of oocyst excretion than treated groups. Besides, both spiramycin and paromomycin given alone or in combination delayed the peak oocyst excretion and improved symptomatology. CONCLUSIONS: Between the two drugs, paromomycin seems to be more effective, but spiramycin administered alone also had an effective impact, so it may be an alternative treatment for cryptosporidiosis in calves in case of resistance to other drugs.