Testicular changes in rats after Trichinella spiralis infection.

Infection of rats with Trichinella spiralis was found to be associated with testicular enlargement. A paucity of Leydig cells with marked oedema of interstitial areas were observed. Most of the seminiferous tubules were lined by spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes. T. spiralis larvae were not detected in the testes. Using the indirect immunoperoxidase procedure, T. spiralis antigen was detected as weak brown staining. The antigen was diffusely distributed in the cytoplasm of spermatogenic cells, Sertoli cells and focally around the tubular basement membrane of the infected rats. The significance of the results was discussed.