Effect of Immunosuppression on the Course of Cryptosporidiosis Experimentally

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of immunosuppression on experimental cryptosporidiosis, by parasitological and histopathological studies at different days post infection (p.i). A total of one hundred five clean laboratory bred male Wister rats were divided into four groups: normal control group (GI), infected group (GII), immunosuppressed control group (GIII) and immunosuppressed infected group (GIV). The infection was done by inoculation orally with 10(5) Cryptosporidium oocysts in 0.1 ml PBS. The immunosuppression was done by administration of cytotoxic drug (Endoxan) intraperitoneal in a dose of 5 mg/kg/d for 4 weeks. The results showed that in GII, most of animals attained its activities without apparent clinical symptoms except some of them had diarrhea while in GIV, all had diarrhea, loss of appetite, weakness, lethargy and hair loss. The death rate was (10%) in GII while in GIV was 51.4%. The infection rate among GII was 95% and GIV was 100%. The infection intensity was higher in GIV than in GIII and the greatest number of excreted oocysts was observed on day 15th post-infection (PI) in GIV and on day 11th PI in GII. The histopathological changes in the ileum were more advanced in GIV.