ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Impaired reproductive function of male rats infected with Toxoplasma gondii
A. Abdoli,
A. Dalimi,
M. Movahedin,
A. Abdoli
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
Search for more papers by this authorA. Dalimi
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
Search for more papers by this authorM. Movahedin
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
Search for more papers by this authorA. Abdoli,
A. Dalimi,
M. Movahedin,
A. Abdoli
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
Search for more papers by this authorA. Dalimi
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
Search for more papers by this authorM. Movahedin
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
Search for more papers by this authorProf. Abdolhossein Dalimi, Department of Parasitology, Medical Sciences Faculty, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box: 14115-111, Tehran, Iran. Tel.: +989123047931; Fax: +892144214240; E-mail: [email protected]
This study was presented in 11th Royan International Congress on Reproductive Biomedicine, 15–17 September, 2010; Tehran, Iran.
Summary
Toxoplasmosis is one of the classical conditions known to have an adverse effect on female reproductive functions, but a few investigations into male reproductive parameters have been performed. This work was carried out to study the effects of Toxoplasma gondii on reproductive function in male rats. Male rats were infected with the RH strain of T. gondii tachyzoites, and following every 10 days from 10 to 70 postinfection (PI), the percentage of body weight to testis weight ratio as well as epididymal sperm parameters (number, motility, viability, and morphology rates), serum testosterone (ST), intratesticular testosterone (ITT), serum lactate dehydrogenase (SLDH), intratesticular lactate dehydrogenase and fructose in seminal vesicles and coagulating glands were measured. The results of the study showed sperm motility, viability and concentration rates were significantly decreased temporary after infection up to 70 days. Sperm abnormality was also increased during these days. In addition, temporary alteration in ST, ITT, SLDH, intratesticular LDH and fructose in seminal vesicle and coagulating gland was observed PI. These findings suggest that toxoplasmosis can cause impermanent impairment on the reproductive parameters of male rats.
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