Furazolidone is primarily used as an antimicrobial agent in veterinary medicine and aquaculture. It is effective against a broad spectrum of bacteria and protozoa, making it useful in treating infections in livestock and fish. It has been commonly applied to control bacterial enteritis and protozoal diseases such as trichomoniasis and histomoniasis in poultry and swine. In aquaculture, it helps manage bacterial infections in farmed fish and shrimp. However, due to concerns over its potential carcinogenicity and the risk of residual accumulation in food products, its use in food-producing animals has been banned or restricted in many countries, including the United States and the European Union. It is also occasionally used in human medicine in some regions for treating gastrointestinal infections, though this application is limited and declining.