Successful treatment of Cryptosporidium infection with nitazoxanide and/or azithromycin in three symptomatic pediatric oncology patients

Abstract

In immunocompromised patients, Cryptosporidium disease can present as a severe, prolonged and potentially life-threatening diarrhea. We present three case reports of children with cancer and a cryptosporidiosis infection who were treated successfully with nitazoxanide either alone or in combination with azithromycin. These case reports show that the clinician should be alert in diagnosing Cryptosporidium infection in oncology children with severe or prolonged diarrhea, a possible life threatening condition, and the combined treatment of nitazoxanide and azithromycin can be a possible strategy to resolve the infection and eradicate Cryptosporidium. Additional studies should be performed to confirm this observation.