C57bl 6 ifn γ mice

C57BL/6 mice (5 to 6 weeks old) were purchased from Harlan Laboratories (Netherlands). The entire study was performed using C57BL/6 wild type mice.
C57BL/6 IFN-γ-/- mice were purchase from Jackson laboratory.
Mice were maintained under pathogen-free conditions at the animal facility of the Centre of Immunity and Immunology, Lausanne (Switzerland).

Four week old female C57BL/6 IFNγ^-/- mice were purchased from the Jackson Laboratory and acclimated for four to ten days in specific pathogen-free conditions in the Health Sciences Biomedical Research Facility at the University of California, San Diego. Mice were provided water and chow (Teklad 2920X) ad libitum. For inoculation, C. parvum oocysts were adjusted to a final density of 5×10⁴/mL in cold, sterile, distilled water. Mice were infected via oral gavage with 200 μL (10⁴ oocysts) using a 20G×1.5” feeding needle. On days 4, 5, and 6 post-infection, mice were gavaged with 10 mL/kg clofazimine (USP reference standard, Sigma Aldrich) solubilized in food-grade corn oil. Treatment regimens included 10 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, and 0 mg/kg (vehicle only; n = 4 per group). Certain assays also involved gavage of characterized anticryptosporidial BKI-1294 (a kind gift from W. Van Voorhis, U Washington), administered at 10 mg/kg mouse as a 10 mL/kg emulsified suspension in 0.5% methylcellulose + 0.5% Tween-80. At intervals between 3 and 30 days post-infection mice were weighed and temporarily placed in isolation to allow for collection of feces (3 pellets/mouse/sampling point). Pellets were weighed and placed in 0.5 mL 2.5% potassium dichromate solution, and stored at 4°C until processing.