Male Rodent Genital Tract Infection with Chlamydia Muridarum: Persistence within the Prostate Gland that triggers Self-Immune Reactions in Genetically Susceptible Hosts

MACKERN OBERTI, JP; MOTRICH, RD; BRESER, ML; CUFFINI, C; CEJAS, HJ; MACCIONI, M; RIVERO, VE

JOURNAL OF UROLOGY

ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC

Lugar: Philadelphia; Año: 2011 vol. 186 p. 1100 - 1100

0022-5347

urpose: Chlamydia trachomatis infection of the male genital tract was proposed to alter male fertility. We studied the putative consequences of chlamydial male genital tract infection on semen quality and male fertility in an experimental rat model of infection. Materials and Methods: We used 36 male and 40 female Wistar rats. Male genital infection was created by inoculating Chlamydia muridarum in the meatal urethra. The presence of C. muridarum was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction in semen and male genital tract organs early (15 days) and late (80 days) after infection. Sperm quality parameters were assayed in seminal and epididymal sperm from sham infected and infected rats. Mating studies with sexually mature females were performed and fertility parameters were assayed, including potency, fecundity and fertility indexes, fetal size, and pre-implantation and post-implantation embryo loss. Results: Male rats showed ascending, disseminated infection 15 days after i