Effectiveness of dehydroepiandrosterone in reduction of cryptosporidial activity in immunosuppressed rats.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the immunomodulator dehydroepiandrosterone in the treatment of cryptosporidiosis in glucocorticoid-induced immunosuppressed rats. A significant reduction in cryptosporidial activity occurred in treated versus untreated rats as assessed by oocyst shedding intensities and examination of parasite colonization in the small intestine.