Allergic Epididymo-Orchitis in Guinea Pigs and Bulls

Abstract

Guinea pigs were isoimmunized with ammonium-sulphate-precipitated testicular material (ASPM) in Freund's complete adjuvant and killed 5, 10, 15, 20. or 60 days later. Bulls were isoimmunized once or more with ASPM or testicular homogenate in complete adjuvant and killed 10 to 70 days later. Acute inflammatory lesions occurred first in the rete testis and ductus efferens of guinea pigs and in the ductus efferens and ampulla of bulls, spread rapidly to the caput epididymidis, and then to seminiferous tubules. A chronic interstitial orchitis followed, with degeneration of germinal epithelium more marked in guinea pigs, more severe in younger animals, and more readily produced in Guernsey then in Holstein-Friesian bulls. Minor inflammations of the cauda epididymidis, accessory glands, and pelvic urethra occurred in bulls. Delayed hypersensitivity toward ASPM was measurable in all animals tested 10 or more days after immunization; humoral ASPM antibodies were detected in all guinea pigs by 15 days and in most bulls 10 or more days after immunization.