Chronic testicular Chlamydia muridarum infection impairs mouse fertility and offspring development†.

ABSTRACT: With approximately 131 million new genital tract infections occurring each year, Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial pathogen worldwide. Male and female infections occur at similar rates and both cause serious pathological sequelae. Despite this, the impact of chlamydial infection on male fertility has long been debated, and the effects of paternal chlamydial infection on offspring development are unknown. Using a male mouse chronic infection model, we show that chlamydial infection persists in the testes, adversely affecting the testicular environment. Infection increased leukocyte infiltration, disrupted the blood:testis barrier and reduced spermiogenic cell numbers and seminiferous tubule volume. Sperm from infected mice had decreased motility, increased abnormal

SUBMITTER: Bryan ER 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7124966 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature