Abstract
Trypanotolerance of the West African dwarf (WAD) breeds may not rule out significant pathophysiological changes that may affect productivity. In this study, the effects of infection of WAD rams with Trypanosoma brucei brucei (Tbb) and Trypanosoma congolense (Tc) on their serum levels of electrolytes [calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium]; oxidative stress markers [superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA)]; and sperm parameters [sperm count, motility, vitality, and morphology] were investigated. Fifteen WAD rams, assigned to 3 groups (A, B & C) of 5 rams each, were used for the study. Group A rams were infected with Tbb, while Group B rams were infected with Tc, both intraperitoneally, at the dose of 106 trypanosomes/animal. Group C rams served as the uninfected control. The infections were monitored for 70 days. Serum calcium levels were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in Tbb and Tc infected rams compared to the control throughout the study. Serum sodium was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the Tb infected rams compared to the Tc infected and control rams on days 14 and 28 PI. Serum SOD activity decreased while MDA levels increased in both infected groups of rams. Tbb infected rams were azoospermic, while Tc infected rams had lower sperm motility, vitality and concentration, and higher number of abnormal sperm cells compared to the control. Necrotic and inflammatory lesions occurred in the testis and epididymis of both infected rams. These results suggest that despite trypanotolerance, trypanosome infections in the WAD rams significantly impact on health and reproduction.
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Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to the Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research (NITR) for donating the trypanosomes used for the study; we thank Mr. I.O. Agbakwuru for assisting in tissue processing, and Foundation for Education and Research in Health (FERH), Nsukka, Nigeria for bench space and other technical assistance provided. The authors also acknowledge the presence of a preprint of this paper in ResearchSquare and that a similar study using the same species/strain of trypanosomes and same WAD breed of rams, which focused on other biochemical parameters, was published by the same authors in Clinical Pathology.
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This study was supported by Institutional Based Research (IBR) grant from Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund/DESS/UNI/NSUKKA/2018/RP/VOL.1).
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Conceptualization: (Davinson C Anyogu, Shodeinde VO Shoyinka, John I Ihedioha); Methodology: (Davinson C Anyogu, John I Ihedioha); Formal.
analysis and investigation: (Davinson C Anyogu, John I Ihedioha); Writing—original draft.
preparation: (Davinson C Anyogu); Writing—review and editing: (Davinson C Anyogu, John I Ihedioha, Shodeinde VO Shoyinka); Resources: (Davinson C Anyogu, John I Ihedioha, Shodeinde VO Shoyinka); Supervision: (Shodeinde VO Shoyinka, John I Ihedioha).
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Approval was obtained from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Approval Reference Number: FVM-UNN-IACUC-2020–0345). All efforts were made to minimise the discomfort of the animals during sampling.
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Anyogu, D.C., Shoyinka, S.V.O. & Ihedioha, J.I. Infection of West African dwarf rams with Trypanosoma brucei brucei and Trypanosoma congolense significantly alter serum electrolytes, redox balance, sperm parameters, and gonadal morphology. Vet Res Commun 47, 17–27 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-022-09921-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-022-09921-8