Table 1.

Laboratory animal studies on the administration of probiotics to eradicate protist infections.

Reference	Year	Study	Methods	Results	Conclusion
[15]	2008	Effect of Lactobacillus casei as a probiotic on modulation of giardiasis	Group I = single dose of TYI-S-33 Group II = Giardia-infected mice—single dose of Giardia trophozoites qid. Group III = probiotic group IIIa: L. casei qid. for 30 days IIIb: isolated strain A (containing lactobacilli) qid. for 30 days Group IV = Giardia-probiotic IV a: single dose of Giardia trophozoites & L. casei for 30 days. IV b: single dose of Giardia trophozoites and a single dose of isolated strain A od. for 30 days Group V = probiotic-Giardia—Probiotic treatment for 30 days after infective dose of G. lamblia. Va: single dose of L. casei qid. for seven days then a single infective dose of Giardia trophozoites. Vb: single dose of isolated strain A qid. for seven days then a single infective dose of Giardia trophozoites.	L. casei given seven days prior to Giardia infection more effective and efficient in eliminating infection Probiotic-fed mice had less atrophied villi and infiltrating cells in the small intestine Ultrastructural studies with scanning electron microscopy confirmed protection of mice receiving L. casei seven days prior to Giardia infection and when simultaneously infected with Giardia.	Probiotics, particularly L. casei, modulate Giardia infection by minimising or preventing adherence of Giardia trophozoites to the mucosal surface, suggesting probiotics offer a safe and effective mode to prevent and treat Giardia infection.
[16]	1997	Effect of L. reuteri on intestinal resistance to C. parvum infection in acquired immunodeficient murine model	C57BL/6 immunosuppressed female mice with LP-BM5 leukemia virus Four months after inoculation, mice developed susceptibility to C. parvum infection. Daily prefeeding with L. reuteri (108 cfu/day) for 10 days then challenged with 6.5 × 106 C. parvum oocysts Both groups fed L. reuteri for duration of study.	Supplemented mice cleared parasite loads from the gut epithelium. Control mice developed persistent cryptosporidiosis,shed high levels of oocysts in faeces and increased colonization of the intestinal tract	L. reuteri may help prevent C. parvum infection in immune-deficient subjects.
[17]	1999	Supplementation with Lactobacillus reuteri or L. acidophilus reduced intestinal shedding of cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in immunodeficient C57BL/6 mice.	C57BL/6 immunosuppressed female mice with LP-BM5 leukemia virus and randomly assigned to one of five groups Group A: historical control Group B: LP-BM5 control Group C: C. parvum Group D: L. reuteri plus C. parvum Group E: L. acidophilus plus C. parvum Mice pre-fed with L. reuteri or L. acidophilus for 13 days then challenged with C. parvum oocysts and thereafter followed their allocated prescription.	Mice supplemented with L. reuteri shed fewer (p < 0.05) oocysts on Day 7 post C. parvum challenge Mice supplemented with L. acidophilus shed fewer (p < 0.05) oocysts on days 7 and 14 post-challenge Lactobacillus supplementation reduced C. parvum shedding in the feces but failed to suppress production of IL-4 & IL-8 & restore IL-2 & IFN-gamma	L. reuteri or L. acidophilus can reduce C. parvum parasite burdens in epithelium during cryptosporidiosis. L. acidophilus was more efficacious in reducing fecal shedding than L. reuteri