Author:
González-Barrio David,Diezma-Díaz Carlos,Tabanera Enrique,Aguado-Criado Elena,Pizarro Manuel,González-Huecas Marta,Ferre Ignacio,Jiménez-Meléndez Alejandro,Criado Fernando,Gutiérrez-Expósito Daniel,Ortega-Mora Luis Miguel,Álvarez-García Gema
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Bovine besnoitiosis, caused by the apicomplexan parasite Besnoitia besnoiti, is a chronic and debilitating cattle disease that notably impairs fertility. Acutely infected bulls may develop respiratory signs and orchitis, and sterility has been reported in chronic infections. However, the pathogenesis of acute disease and its impact on reproductive function remain unknown.
Methods
Herein, we studied the microscopic lesions as well as parasite presence and load in the testis (pampiniform plexus, testicular parenchyma and scrotal skin) of seven bulls with an acute B. besnoiti infection. Acute infection was confirmed by serological techniques (IgM seropositive results and IgG seronegative results) and subsequent parasite detection by PCR and histological techniques.
Results
The most parasitized tissue was the scrotal skin. Moreover, the presence of tachyzoites, as shown by immunohistochemistry, was associated with vasculitis, and three bulls had already developed juvenile tissue cysts. In all animals, severe endothelial injury was evidenced by marked congestion, thrombosis, necrotizing vasculitis and angiogenesis, among others, in the pampiniform plexus, testicular parenchyma and scrotal skin. Vascular lesions coexisted with lesions characteristic of a chronic infection in the majority of bulls: hyperkeratosis, acanthosis and a marked diffuse fibroplasia in the dermis of the scrotum. An intense inflammatory infiltrate was also observed in the testicular parenchyma accompanied by different degrees of germline atrophy in the seminiferous tubules with the disappearance of various strata of germ cells in four bulls.
Conclusions
This study confirmed that severe acute besnoitiosis leads to early sterility that might be permanent, which is supported by the severe lesions observed. Consequently, we hypothesized that testicular degeneration might be a consequence of (i) thermoregulation failure induced by vascular lesions in pampiniform plexus and scrotal skin lesions; (ii) severe vascular wall injury induced by the inflammatory response in the testis; and (iii) blood-testis barrier damage and alteration of spermatogenesis by immunoresponse.
Funder
MINECO
Community of Madrid
Spanish Ministry of Science
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Infectious Diseases,Parasitology
Reference36 articles.
1. Besnoit C, Robin V. Sarcosporidiose cutanée chez une vache. Revue Vétérinaire. 1912;37:649–63.
2. European Food Safety Authority. Bovine besnoitiosis: an emerging disease in Europe. EFSA J. 2010;8:1499.
3. Álvarez-García G, Frey CF, Mora LMO, Schares G. A century of bovine besnoitiosis: an unknown disease re-emerging in Europe. Trends Parasitol. 2013;29:407–15.
4. Álvarez-García G, García-Lunar P, Gutiérrez-Expósito D, Shkap V, Ortega-Mora LM. Dynamics of Besnoitia besnoiti infection in cattle. Parasitology. 2014;141:1419–35.
5. Cortes H, Leitão A, Gottstein B, Hemphill A. A review on bovine besnoitiosis: a disease with economic impact in herd health management, caused by Besnoitia besnoiti (Franco and Borges). Parasitology. 2014;141:1406–17.
Cited by
11 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献