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  3. Therapeutic effects of acetylspiramycin and garlicin on cryptosporidiosis among drug users

Therapeutic effects of acetylspiramycin and garlicin on cryptosporidiosis among drug users

  • Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist. 2015 Dec;5(3):185-90. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2015.09.002.
Min-Zhu Huang 1,  Jin Li 2,  Lan Guan 3,  Deng-Qing Li 4,  Xin-Min Nie 5,  Rong Gui 6,  Xia Chen 7
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Changsha Medical University, Changsha 410219, China. Electronic address: huangminzhu_2002@163.com.
  • 2 The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, China. Electronic address: lincoln0221@126.com.
  • 3 Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China. Electronic address: guanlan7@163.com.
  • 4 Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China. Electronic address: lidengqing@aliyun.com.
  • 5 The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, China. Electronic address: niexinmin19840702@163.com.
  • 6 The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, China. Electronic address: aguirong@163.com.
  • 7 Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Changsha Medical University, Changsha 410219, China. Electronic address: chen_1987_com@163.com.
PMID: 27120065 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2015.09.002
Abstract

Cryptosporidiosis affects humans of all ages, particularly malnourished children and those with compromised immune systems such as HIV/AIDS. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of acetylspiramycin and garlicin on Cryptosporidium Infection in institutionalized male drug users receiving rehabilitative treatment. Examination of stool specimens from 903 drug users via modified acid-fast bacilli staining resulted in 172 positive cases. Among them 151 subjects consented to participate in a randomized trial of acetylspiramycin and garlicin in four groups: acetylspiramycin plus garlicin, acetylspiramycin only, garlicin only, and placebo control. The cryptosporidiosis rate was higher in younger subjects with longer drug use history than subjects who are older with shorter history of drug use. After two segments of treatments, 76.2% of the cases achieved negative test results, with the four groups achieving the rates of 92.1%, 76.7%, 72.2%, and 61.8%, respectively (χ(2) = 9.517, P = 0.023). These results indicate clinical potential of garlicin in conjunction with acetylspiramycin in treating cryptosporidiosis.

Keywords

Acetylspiramycin; Cryptosporidium; Drug user; Garlicin; Randomized controlled trial; Therapeutic effects.

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