Effect of halofuginone lactate on treatment and prevention of lamb cryptosporidiosis: an extensive field trial

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of halofuginone lactate (100 mug/kg BW) on treatment and prevention of cryptosporidiosis in lambs. It consisted of three field trials. The first trial was designed to assess the efficacy of halofuginone in treating lamb diarrhoea caused by cryptosporidiosis, and in preventing the disease, using two schemes; halofuginone given for seven and for three consecutive days respectively. Halofuginone was effective in the treatment of diarrhoea caused by cryptosporidiosis (P < 0.01). In addition, halofuginone administered as a 7-day treatment was significantly (P < 0.05) more effective than a 3-day treatment in preventing diarrhoea in the infected flocks. The second trial was designed to evaluate the preventive effect of halofuginone, which was administered for 7 days in lambs infected with cryptosporidiosis, on diarrhoea incidence, oocyst shedding and body weight gain. Halofuginone significantly (P < 0.01) reduced the diarrhoea incidence, the time of oocyst shedding and the mean intensity of shedding, but did not affect body weight gain. The third trial was designed to examine the ability of halofuginone to reduce the death rate in flocks with cryptosporidiosis. Halofuginone treatment was effective in preventing and in reducing the death rate of cryptosporidiosis in these flocks.

Occurrence and molecular characterization ofGiardia duodenalisandCryptosporidiumspp. in sheep and goats reared under dairy husbandry systems in Greece

“…Nevertheless, the farm prevalence on the sheep (57.1%) and goat (50.0%) farms does suggest that Cryptosporidium is widespread and is a potential threat to the small ruminant population. In previous studies in Greece, Cryptosporidium has been associated with large outbreaks of diarrhoea in both sheep and goat flocks [14, 15, 37], similar to other major small ruminant rearing countries [6, 33]. …”

Illthrift in Suckling Lambs Secondary to Umbilical Infections and Possible Implication of Cryptosporidiosis as a Risk Factor

“…Cryptosporidiosis, which was initially diagnosed in this flock, has been reported as a possible cause of illthrift by some authors [10, 11]. Although our research group has not found any correlation of cryptosporidiosis, as an individual entity, with growth retardation in lambs [12] and, furthermore, the cryptosporidial infection initially present was eliminated following treatment with halofuginone lactate [10, 12, 13], the initial presence of cryptosporidiosis may have contributed to the severity of the umbilical infections and their sequelae.…”

Cryptosporidiosis in Ruminants: Update and Current Therapeutic Approaches

“…Also, halofuginone at the recommended dose (0,1 mg kg −1 for seven consecutive days) seems to restraints cryptosporidial reproduction rate and improves the development of immunity in lambs (Causape et al, 1999;Giadinis et al, 2007).…”