J Egypt Soc Parasitol. 2002 Dec; 32(3): 969-78.

Efficacy of azithromycin, praziquantel and mirazid in treatment of cryptosporidiosis in school children.

Allam AF, Shehab AY.

Department of Parasitology, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.

The study was conducted at a primary school in Abis 8 village. 88 children aged eleven years consented to participate in the present study. After fecal examination, 43 (48.8%) cases were found infected with Cryptosporidium. The mean oocysts number per high power field (HPF) ranged from (1.6-48 oocysts/HPF). Azitbromycin, praziquantel (PZQ) and mirazid were given to 13, 16 and 14 infected children respectively. Three weeks after treatment, azithromycin and praziquantel gave cure rates of 91% and 56.2% respectively with a percent reduction of oocysts in stools of 99% for azithromycin and 71.5% for PZQ. Mirazid was not effective. All the three drugs were well tolerated. It was concluded that azithromycin is highly effective in the treatment of children with cryptosporidiosis: PZQ decreases the infection rate and intensity.