Abstract
Cryptosporidium species are the major cause of water-borne epidemics of diarrhea in both developing and developed countries that vary from self-limited in immunocompetent patients to severe life-threatening in the immunocompromised hosts. There was a proven correlation between cryptosporidiosis and colorectal cancers, although, studies in this field are still limited. Wheat germ oil (WGO) is a natural product with a known antiparasitic effect and potential antiproliferative activities. This study aimed to evaluate the antiparasitic and anticancer activities of WGO in chronically infected immunosuppressed mice compared to Nitazoxanide (NTZ). This experimental case-control study was performed in the period from January till September 2021. Eighty immunosuppressed bred laboratory mice were divided into 4 groups, 20 mice each; GI non-infected; negative control (NC), GII infected non treated; positive control (PC), GII infected, and treated with NTZ, GIV infected, and treated with WGO. Parasitological, histopathological, and immunohistochemical examinations were performed with estimating the rate of maximal survival for the study groups. Parasitological examination revealed a marked reduction in the mean Cryptosporidium spp. oocyst counts in the stool of GIV compared to PC, and GIII (P-value < 0.001). Histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations showed the best results with GIV which revealed restoration of normal villous pattern, with no dysplasia or malignancy could be detected. GIV showed the best survival rate compared to PC and GIII. WGO is an extremely promising agent that has an excellent therapeutic effect against cryptosporidiosis with the ability to control the tumorigenesis process in the chronically infected immunosuppressed hosts.