RESUMO
Ninety children infected with Cryptosporidium parvum attending Al Azhar University Teaching Hospital [Assuit] were chosen [60 males and 30 females] with age range from 6 months to ten years. The patients were divided into two groups of 45 patients for each [G1 and G2]. All patients suffered from chronic diarrhea for more than fifteen days. Cross-matched 45 children suffering from chronic diarrhea were used as a control group [G3]. Stool samples were collected and examined for detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts using Sheather's sugar and Modified Ziehl-Nelseen stain techniques. The first group [G1] received Nitazoxanide [100 mg and 200 mg every 12 hours for 3 days for children aged 6 months to 3 years, and children aged 4 to 10 years respectively], G2 received Parornomycin [25mg/kg/day for 2 weeks]. Third group received placebo. Significant improvement and shortening of the duration of diarrhea occur in G1; of 45 patients received Nitazoxanide 39 cases showed complete clinical and laboratory cure [86.6%], 5 cases showed clinical improvement with reduction in the number of oocysts and 1 case showed no cure. In G2 of 45 cases received Paromomycin 31 cases showed complete cure [68.8%], 8 cases showed clinical improvement with reduction of oocysts number and 6 cases were not cured. Nitazoxanide proved highly effective than Paromomycin in cryptosporidiosis