Use of secnidazole and homeopathy for giardiasis control in dogs

Uso de secnidazol y homeopatía para el control de giardiasis en perros

Dogs with Giardia infections have diarrhea that persists for days, even after treatment. We managed canine giardiasis using two distinct approaches: treatment with the antiprotozoan secnidazole alone; and secnidazole plus a homeopathic product that is indicated for control of diarrhea in dogs. Treatment I: Ten beagle dogs showed clinical signs of severe diarrhea. Their feces revealed large numbers of cysts consistent with Giardia sp. Therefore, we treated the dogs with secnidazole (10 mg/kg, single dose) given orally. Five days after treatment, all dogs were negative for Giardia spp. Treatment II: Three months later, the same ten Beagles again presented with diarrhea. Feces were collected, revealing Giardia sp. in all dogs. This time, we treated them with an antiprotozoan (secnidazole, 10 mg/kg dose) combined with a commercial homeopathic drug for diarrhea control (3 g dose/animal at 12 h interval). We found that three to five homeopathic doses were needed to achieve normal fecal scores in all dogs. After 5 days of treatment, stool samples had normal consistency and were negative for Giardia. This is the first record of using secnidazole to control canine giardiasis associated with homeopathic drugs to prevent diarrhea.

1. Thompson RCA, Monis PT. Variation in Giardia: implications for taxonomy and epidemiology. Adv Parasitol. 2014; 58:69-137. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-308X(04)58002-8.
2. Hooshyar H, Rostamkhani P, Delavari M. Giardia lamblia infection: review of current diagnostic strategies. Gastroenterol. Hepatol Bed Bench. 2019; 12:3–12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6441489/#__ffn_sectitle
3. Olson ME, O’Handley RM, Ralston BJ, Mcallister TA, Thompson RCA. Update on Cryptosporidium and Giardia infections in cattle. Trends Parasitol. 2014; 20:185-191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2004.01.015.
4. Bahr SE, Morais HA. Pessoas imunocomprometidas e animais de estimação. Rev Clin Vet. 2011; 30:17-22. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316282703_Pessoas_imunocomprometidas_e_animais_de_estimacao
5. Gomes KB, Fernandes AP, Menezes A, Amorim JR, Silva EF, Rocha MO. Giardia duodenalis: genotypic comparison between a human and a canine isolates. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 2011; 44:508-510. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0037-86822011000400021
6. Rinaldi L, Maurelli MP, Musella V, Veneziano V, Carbone S, Di Sarno A, Paone M, Ciringoli G. Giardia and Cryptosporidium in canine fecal samples contaminating an urban area. Res Vet Sci. 2017; 84:413-415. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2007.05.006.
7. Ruiz JD, Ramírez GP, Múnera AM, Arroyave C, Castaño L, López P. Comparison of secnidazole and fenbendazole for the treatment of asymptomatic Giardia infection in dogs. Vet Sci Res. 2019; 1: 24-28. https://doi.org/10.30564/vsr.v1i1.1067
8. Robertson ID, Irwin PJ, Lymbery AJ, Thompson RCA. The role of companion animals in the emergence of parasitic zoonoses. Int J Parasitol. 2010; 30:1369-1377. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/s0020-7519(00)00134-x.
9. Da Silva AS, Castro VSP, Tonin AA, Brendler S, Costa MM, Jaques JA, Bertoletti B, Zanette RA, Raiser AG, Mazzanti CM, Lopes ST, Monteiro SG. Secnidazole for the treatment of giardiasis in naturally infected cats. Int Parasitol. 2011; 60:429-432. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.parint.2011.06.024.
10. Volpato A, Fortuoso BF, Campigotto G, Glombowsky P, Botarri NB, Lopes LS, Da Silva AS. Secnidazole for control of giardiasis in dairy calves. Exp Parasitol. 2018; 189:16-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exppara.2018.04.008.
11. Rossignol JF, Maisonneuve H, Cho YW. Nitroimidazoles in the treatment of trichomoniasis, giardiasis, and amebiasis. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther Toxicol. 1984; 22(2):63-72. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6698665/
12. Teixeira MZ. Therapeutic use of the rebound effect of modern drugs: “New homeopathic medicines”. Rev Assoc Med Bras. 2017; 63:100-108. https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9282.63.02.100
13. Charles K, Rizzardi R, Oliveira BF, Silva CM, Martins LP, Fantini CC. Homeopathic complex in the prevention and treatment of diarrhea in suckling piglets. Rev Bras Saúde Prod Anim. 2012; 13:74-82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1519-99402012000100007.
14. Fortuoso BF, Volpato A, Rampazzo L, Glombowsky P, Griss LG, Galli GM, Stefani LM, Baldissera MD, Ferreira EB, Machado G, Da Silva AS. Homeopathic treatment as an alternative prophylactic to minimize bacterial infections and prevent neonatal diarrhea in calves. Microb Pathog. 2018; 114:95-98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.micpath.2017.11.041.
15. Fortuoso BF, Gebert RR, Griss LG, Glombovisky P, Cazarotto CJ, Rampazzo L, Stefani LM, Ferreira EB, Da Silva AS. Reduction of stool bacterial counts and prevention of diarrhea using an oral homeopathic product in newborn lambs. Microb Pathog. 2018; 127:347-351. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.micpath.2018.12.022.
16. Gressler LT, Silva AS, Silva MK, Tonin AA, Monteiro SG. Gastrointestinal parasites of cavy (Cavia aperea aperea) in southern Brazil. Res Vet Sci 2010; 89(2):206-208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2010.02.012
17. Feldman, BF, Zinkl JG, Jain NC. Schalm’s Veterinary Hematology. Philadelphia, 5th ed., 2000.
18. Di Prisco MC, Jiménez JC, Rodríguez N, Costa V, Villamizar J, Silvera A, Carrillo M, Lira C, Zerpa E, Lopez Y. Clinical trial with Secnidazole in a single dose in Venezuelan children infected by Giardia intestinalis. Invest Clin. 2010; 41:179–88. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11029834
19. Escobedo AA, Canþete R, Gonzalez ME, Pareja A, Cimerman S, Almirall P. A randomized trial comparing mebendazole and secnidazol for the treatment of giardiasis. Ann Trop Med Parasitol. 2013; 97:499–504. http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/000349803235002380.
20. Ural K, Gultekin M, Pasa S, Aysul N, Ayan A. Chloroquine treatment against naturally occurring Giardia duodenalis infection in dogs. Med Weter. 2017; 73:280-283. https://doi.org/10.21521/mw.5695.
21. Modarresi, A. Comparing the effect of secnidazole and metronidazole for the treatment of giardiasis in children. Pediatr Res. 2011; 70:470. https://doi.org/10.1038/pr.2011.695
22. Solaymani-Mohammadi S1, Genkinger JM, Loffredo CA, Singer SM. A meta-analysis of the effectiveness of albendazole compared with metronidazole as treatments for infections with Giardia duodenalis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2010: 11:e682. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0000682
23. Santos FAG, Yamamura MH, Vidotto O, Camargo PL. Occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in dogs (Canis familiaris) with acute diarrhea from metropolitan region of Londrina, Parana State, Brazil. Semina: Ciên Agra. 2017; 28:257-268. http://dx.doi.org/10.5433/1679-0359.2007v28n2p257.
24. Allain T, Amat CB, Motta JP, Manko A, Buret AG. Interactions of Giardia sp. with the intestinal barrier: Epithelium, mucus, and microbiota. Tissue Barriers 2017; 5:e1274354. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21688370.2016.1274354
25. Cucherat M, Haugh MC, Gooch M, Boissel JP. Evidence of clinical efficacy of homeopathy: a meta-analysis of clinical trials. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2010; 56:27-33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s002280050716.
26. Karahalli C, Ural K. Single dose secnidazol treatment efficacy against naturally occurring Giardia duodenalis infection in dogs. Magyar Allatorvosok Lapja .2017; 139: 621-630. https://univet.hu/files/subpages/153/files/MAL-2017-10_content.pdf