Testicular stereological and histological changes in an experimental murine model of visceral leishmaniasis

Background and Aim: Visceral leishmaniasis, a native disease in developing countries, can cause functional impairment in various organs, including the reproductive system, which can lead to infertility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the stereological, morphometric and morphological changes of testicular histoarchitecture in an experimental murine model of visceral leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 20 adult male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into two equal groups including control and experimental (infected with visceral leishmaniasis) groups. In the experimental group, infection was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 0.2 ml of a solution containing 12 × 106 promastigotes of Leishmania infantum in the stationary phase. 6 weeks after the start of the study, all the mice were euthanized after induction of anesthesia, then the spleens and testicles of the animals were removed immediately under sterile condition and examined for signs of infection and histological changes. Results: The experimental group showed significant reductions in the diameter, germinal epithelium height, cross-sectional area, quality, maturation and number of seminiferous tubules as well as obvious testicular morphological changes including severe and spermatogenic cell maturation arrest in comparison to the control group. Conclusion: The results indicated that visceral leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice may lead to testicular histological injuries because of incitement of inflammatory reactions, microcirculatory disruption, and involvement of the hematopoietic system. Keywords: Histology, Mouse, Testis, Visceral leishmaniasis