title: Experimental Escherichia coli epididymitis in rats: assessment of testicular involvement in a long-term follow-up.
abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate spermatogenesis and testicular inflammation in a rat model of unilateral Escherichia coli epididymitis in a long-term follow-up. Unilateral epididymitis was induced in 30 Sprague-Dawley rats by injecting E. coli into the right ductus deferens. Oral antimicrobial treatment with sparfloxacin (50 mg kg(-1) body weight/7 days) was administered in half of the animals 24 h after infection. Five treated and five untreated rats were killed at 2 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after infection. Spermatogenesis was investigated using a histological semi-quantitative score. The presence of inflammatory cells (B- and T lymphocytes, macrophages and granulocytes) in the testicular tissues was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. The testes were sterile at all times. Over the course of 6 months, spermatogenesis underwent significant incremental impairment on the inoculated side as compared to the contralateral side (P < 0.001). However, overall spermatogenesis scores were not significantly different between treated and untreated animals (P > 0.3 at each time point). Finally, loss of testicular architecture on the inoculated side was not associated with any cellular inflammatory response. Thus, adjuvant therapies need to be studied, and research is necessary on how to prevent deterioration of testicular function in bacterial epididymitis.
authors: Department of Urology, Pediatric Urology and Andrology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Pilatz
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Ceylan
authors: H C
authors: HC
authors: Schuppe
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ludwig
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Fijak
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Chakraborty
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Weidner
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Bergmann
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Wagenlehner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004822:Epididymis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004823:Epididymitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000150:complications*; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; C061363:sparfloxacin
keywords: Acute epididymitis; Escherichia coli; rat model; spermatogenesis; testicular inflammation