Killing of Cryptosporidium sporozoites by Lactoferrin

Abstract

Intestinal infection caused by <i>Cryptosporidium</i> is a major contributor to diarrhea morbidity and mortality in young children around the world. Current treatments for children suffering from cryptosporidiosis are suboptimal. Lactoferrin is a glycoprotein found in breast milk. It has showed bacteriostatic and antimicrobial activity in the intestine. However, the effects of lactoferrin on the intestinal parasite <i>Cryptosporidium</i> have not been reported. In this study, we investigated the anticryptosporidial activity of human lactoferrin on different stages of <i>Cryptosporidium</i>. Physiologic concentrations of lactoferrin killed <i>Cryptosporidium parvum</i> sporozoites, but had no significant effect on oocysts viability or parasite intracellular development. Since sporozoites are essential for the infection process, our data reinforce the importance of breastfeeding and point to the potential of lactoferrin as a novel therapeutic agent for cryptosporidiosis.