You are here

Головна » Scientific Journal of Veterinary Medicine 1'2025

Antiparasitic efficacy of Cryptogal against Cryptosporidium spp. in newborn calves

The article presents the results of testing a new antiprotozoal drug, Cryptogal (oral solution, active ingredient – halofuginone, manufactured by BROVAFARMA LLC), for the treatment of newborn calves infected with Cryptosporidium spp. The study was conducted on calves with clinically and laboratory-confirmed cryptosporidiosis. Diagnosis was based on the epizootic situation in the experimental farms, clinical symptoms (profuse diarrhea, pronounced intestinal peristalsis, increased body temperature (39.2–39.8 °C), exhaustion, and intoxication), and the detection of Cryptosporidium spp. in fecal samples through coproovoscopy. Sick calves were administered Cryptogal at a dose of 2 ml per 10 kg of body weight (0.1 mg of halofuginone per kg of body weight) once daily for seven consecutive days. Clinical trials of Cryptogal in calves infected with Cryptosporidium spp. demonstrated sufficient therapeutic efficacy, safety, and anabsence of side effects. The results of both clinical and laboratory trials confirmed a high level of sensitivity of Cryptosporidium spp. to halofuginone, exhibiting both coccidiocidal and coccidiostatic effects. Complete elimination of the pathogen in initially infected animals was recorded on day 19 of the study. In cases of low infection intensity (II), Cryptosporidium excretion in feces ceased by day 11. Clinical signs of cryptosporidiosis in calves disappeared 8–9 days after treatment. The developed drug was shown to be a safe coccidiocidal agent, with no adverse or extraneous effects observed in calves during or after oral administration. No significant negative impact was detected on the overall health of the animals or on individual hematological parameters. Ten days after completing the Cryptogal treatment course, normalization of hemoglobin levels, erythrocyte and leukocyte counts, and a reduction in ESR, as well as in the percentage of banded and neutrophilic cells, were recorded in the blood of the calves, indicating the resolution of inflammation and overall recovery. The biochemical parameters of the calves' serum returned to physiological ranges, with an increase in total protein content and reserve alkalinity, alongside a decrease in glucose and total bilirubin concentrations, confirming the absence of general toxic and hepatotoxic effects of the drug. The conclusions were made regarding the sufficient therapeutic efficacy and safety of Cryptogal at the doses and dosages recommended by the manufacturer for the treatment of calf cryptosporidiosis.

Key words: halofuginone, cryptosporidiosis, coccidiostatic, antiprotozoal effect, hematology, safety.

 

FESHCHENKO D. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4811-2488


DOVHIY Yu. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9927-0646


BEREZOVSKY A. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5825-9504


ZGHOZINSKA O.


  1. Pumipuntu, N., Piratae, S. (2018). Cryptosporidiosis: A zoonotic disease concern. Veterinary World, Vol. 11, no. 5, рр. 681–686. DOI:10.14202/vetworld.2018.681-686
  2. Meng, X.Z., Li, M.Y., Lyu, C., Qin, Y.F., Zhao, Z.Y., Yang, X.B., Ma, N., Zhang, Y., Zhao, Q. (2021). The global prevalence and risk factors of Cryptosporidium infection among cats 1988–2021: A review and meta. Microbial Pathogenesis, Vol. 158, 105096 p. DOI:10.1016/j.micpath.2021.105096
  3. Dinler, C., Ulutas, B. (2017). Cryptosporidiosis in ruminants: Update and current therapeutic approaches. American Journal of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Vol. 12, no. 3, рр. 96–103. DOI:10.3844/ajavsp.2017.96.103
  4. Dubova, O.A., Feshchenko, D.V., Dybovyi, A.A., Zakharin, V.V. (2024). Cryptosporidiosis in puppies: clinical and epizootical characteristics. Scientific Messenger of Lviv National University of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnologies. Veterinary sciences. Vol. 26, no. 115, pp. 119–125. DOI:10.32718/nvlvet11517 (In Ukrainian).
  5. Avendaño, C., Ramo, A., Vergara-Castiblanco, C., Sánchez-Acedo, C., Quílez, J. (2018). Genetic uniqueness of Cryptosporidium parvum from dairy calves in Colombia. Parasitology Research, Vol. 117, no. 5, pp. 1317‒1323. DOI:10.1007/s00436-018-5818-6.
  6. Delafosse, A., Chartier, C., Dupuy, M., Dumoulin, M., Pors, I., Paraud, C. (2015). Cryptosporidium parvum infection and associated risk factors in dairy calves in western France. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Vol. 118, no. 4, pp. 406‒412. DOI:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2015.01.005
  7. Ryan, U., Fayer, R., Xiao, L. (2014). Cryptosporidium species in humans and animals: Current understanding and research needs. Parasitology, Vol. 141, no. 13, рр. 1667–1685. DOI:10.1017/S0031182014001085
  8. Helmy, Y.A., Hafez, H.M. (2022). Cryptosporidiosis: From Prevention to Treatment, a Narrative Review. Microorganisms. no. 10 (12), 2456 p. DOI:10.3390/microorganisms10122456
  9. Joachim, A., Krull, T., Schwarzkopf, J., Daugschies, A. (2003). Prevalence and control of bovine cryptosporidiosis in German dairy herds. Veterinary Parasitology, Vol. 112, Issue 4, pp. 277–288. DOI:10.1016/S0304-4017(03)00006-2
  10. Sawitri, D.H., Wardhana, A.H., Martindah, E. (2020). Detections of gastrointestinal parasites, including Giardia intestinalis and Cryptosporidium spp., in cattle of Banten province, Indonesia Journal Parasitology, Vol. 44, pp. 174–179. DOI:10.1007/s12639-019-01179-3
  11. Kovalenko, L.M., Kovalenko, O.I. (2020). Patomorfolohichni zminy v orhanizmi teliat pry protozoozakh, zakhody profilaktyky [Pathomorphological changes in the body of calves with protozoa, preventive measures]. Visnyk Sumskoho natsionalnoho ahrarnoho universytetu [Bulletin of Sumy National Agrarian University]. Seriia "Veterynarna medytsyna" [Series «Veterinary Medicine»]. no. 4 (51), pp. 11‒16. DOI:10.32845/bsnau.vet.2020.4.2 (In Ukrainian).
  12. Díaz, P., Navarro, E., Remesar, S., García-Dios, D., Martínez-Calabuig, N., Prieto A., López-Lorenzo, G., Manuel López, C., Panadero, R., Fernández, G., Díez-Baños, P., Morrondo, P. (2021). The Age-Related Cryptosporidium Species Distri bution in Asymptomatic Cattle from North-Western Spain. Animals, Vol. 11, no. 2, 256 p. DOI:10.3390/ani11020256
  13. Zhurenko, V.V., Soroka, N.M., Zhurenko, O.V. (2016). Porushennia fermentatyvnoi aktyvnosti u teliat khvorykh na kryptosporydioz [Disturbances of enzymatic activity in calves with cryptosporidiosis]. Problemy zooinzhenerii' ta veterynarnoi' medycyny: zb. nauk. prac' [Problems of zooengineering and veterinary medicine: coll. of science works], Vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 135–137. Available at:pzvm_2016_33(2)__32 (1).pdf (In Ukrainian).
  14. Mead, J.R. (2014). Prospects for immunotherapy and vaccines against Cryptosporidium. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, Vol. 10, no. 6, pp. 1505–1513. DOI:10.4161/hv.28485
  15. Fritzler, J. M., Zhu, G. (2012). Novel anti-Cryptosporidium activity of known drugs identified by high-throughput screening against parasite fatty acyl-CoA binding protein (Acbp). Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Vol. 67, no. 3, pp. 609–617. DOI:10.1093/jac/dkr516
  16. Ryan, U., Zahedi, A., Paparini, A. (2016). Cryptosporidium in humans and animals – a one health approach to prophylaxis. Parasite Immunology, Vol. 38, no. 9, pp. 535–547. DOI:10.1111/pim.12350
  17. Pines, M., Vlodavsky, I., Nagler, A. (2000). Halofuginone: from veterinary use to human therapy. Drug development research, Vol. 50, no. 3–4, pp. 371–378. DOI:10.1002/1098-2299(200007/08)50:3/43.0.CO;2-R
  18. Brainard, J., Hammer, C.C., Hunter, P.R., Katzer, F., Hurle, G., Tyler, K. (2021). Efficacy of halofuginone products to prevent or treat cryptosporidiosis in bovine calves: a systematic review and meta-analyses. Parasitology, Vol. 148, no. 4, pp. 408 419. DOI:10.1017/S0031182020002267
  19. Vélez, J., Lange, M.K., Zieger, P., Yoon, I., Failing, K., Bauer, C. (2019). Long-term use of yeast fermentation products in comparison to halofuginone for the control of cryptosporidiosis in neonatal calves. Veterinary Parasitology, Vol. 269, pp. 57–64. DOI:10.1016/j.vetpar.2019.04.008
AttachmentSize
PDF icon feshchenko_1_2025.pdf772.13 KB
Scientific Journal of Veterinary Medicine 1'2025