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

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.