Genital lesions and histopathology of male guinea-pigs infected with trypanosomes.

Sixty adult male guinea-pigs were used to study the effect of Trypanosoma brucei brucei and Trypanosoma congolense infections on genitalia, testicles and reproductive capacity. Both infections showed acute to chronic courses. T. b. brucei appeared more virulent than T. congolense. In both cases the infection periods significantly (P < 0.01) influenced resultant decrease in body and gonadal weight, testicular mass index and extent of lesion formation. Histopathological lesions included mononuclear infiltration, distortion of seminiferous tubules and degeneration of germ cells. Both trypanosomes impaired reproductive capacity through impaired hormone biosynthesis, sperm production and reserves. Use of guinea-pigs as a laboratory model for the study of trypanosomosis in domestic animals is discussed.