Reproductive failure in mice chronically infected withToxoplasma gondii (original) (raw)
Abstract
Nya: NYLAR female mice infected with_Toxoplasma gondii_ for 1 and 2 months were cohabited with normal males for 1 week, then sequestered individually to monitor their reproductive performance. Mice bred 1 month postinfection (p.i.) exhibited reproductive failure, with 1 of 16 females delivering 2 sickly pups; in others, interruption of pregnancy and fetal wastage occurred. Mice infected for 2 months were uniformly infertile. Vaginal lavage showed cessation of estrus cycling and constant diestrus cytology at as early as 1 month p.i. Histologic examination of the ovaries revealed impaired folliculogenesis and few corpora lutea, if any. Uterine atrophy was marked. Coronal sections of the cerebrum disclosed widespread vasculitis, focal disruptions of the ependymal cell layer lining the lateral and third ventricles, and periventricular edema. We suggest that the reproductive failure of the infected mice is due to an acquired hypogonadotropic hypogonadism secondary to hypothalamic dysfunction.
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Authors and Affiliations
- Wadsworth Center for Laboratories and Research, New York State Department of Health, 12201, Albany, NY, USA
W. Stahl - Department of Infectious Diseases, Tokai University, School of Medicine, 259-11, Isehara, Japan
W. Stahl & Y. Kaneda - Department of Physiology, Toho University, School of Medicine, Ohta-Ku, 143, Tokyo, Japan
T. Noguchi
Authors
- W. Stahl
- Y. Kaneda
- T. Noguchi
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Stahl, W., Kaneda, Y. & Noguchi, T. Reproductive failure in mice chronically infected with_Toxoplasma gondii_.Parasitol Res 80, 22–28 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00932619
- Received: 16 June 1993
- Accepted: 15 August 1993
- Issue date: January 1994
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00932619