How can Trypanosoma vivax infection affect the reproduction of male goats?

• Grant number: 19/22695-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2020
• End date: October 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Lindsay Unno Gimenes
• Grantee: Lindsay Unno Gimenes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Claudia Cristina Paro de Paz ; Guilherme de Paula Nogueira ; Marcos Rogério André ; Rosangela Zacarias Machado ; Rosemeri de Oliveira Vasconcelos

Abstract

Trypanosoma vivax-associated infections lead to economic losses in animal production and may lead to infertility in chronic cases. No studies were found in goats evaluating macro and microscopic changes, as well as the detection of parasites in tissues and ejaculate, and hormonal changes associated with infection. Therefore, in the present work, the aims are to evaluate in the male genital system of experimentally infected young male goats: 1) changes in semen quality (Exp. 1); 2) the presence of T. vivax DNA in semen (Exp. 2); 3) the microscopic lesions produced by T. vivax (Exp. 3); 4) the immunolocation of T. vivax (Exp. 4); 5) if there are detectable changes by ultrasound (Exp. 5); 6) circulating testosterone concentrations (Exp. 6); 7) the association between parasitemia and severity of tissue lesions, seminal quality and the presence of T. vivax DNA in the ejaculate. Importantly, the experiment has already been performed and the material collected is available for analysis. Fifteen Saanen young goats (aged 6-9 months) were inoculated intravenously with 1 mL of blood containing 1x104 metacyclic trypomastigotes (G-INF), and this day was considered as D0. Five animals were kept as negative control (G-CON). Seminal and ultrasonographic evaluations, as well as blood collection for testosterone dosage were performed periodically in Exp. 1, 2, 5, 6 and, in Exp. 3 and 4, the harvest of material for histology and immunohistochemistry was performed on D47. It is expected to contribute to the knowledge about reproductive organs involvement associated with T. vivax infection in young male goats and about the elimination of the agent by the seminal route. (AU)