Toxoplasma gondii induced sperm DNA damage on the experimentally infected rats

Toxoplasma gondii, as an obligate protozoan parasite, can infect a wide variety of animals as well as human. As some studies have shown, toxoplasmosis decreases the fertility potency in different hosts, so there is a necessity for studies to determine the effects of T. gondii on reproductive system. Therefore, this project was aimed to investigate the effect of toxoplasmosis on the male reproductive system and sperm DNA integrity. In this experimental study, 80 Wistar male rats were divided into two groups as follows: infected group (inoculated by T.gondii tachyzoites) and control group [injected by Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)]. Afterward, data were collected in every 10 days interval. The detailed description of the sperm parameters were recorded, and then, chromatin integrity of the epididymal sperm was analyzed using Aniline blue (AB), Acridine orange (AO), Chromomycin A3 (CMA3), and Toluidine blue (TB) staining. Sperm parameters (motility, viability, count, and normal sperm) significantly decreased in the infected rats. Sperm stained by AO staining showed a higher percentage in the infected rats compared to the control group on day 70 (P = 0.03). The mean percentages of AB stained sperm on days 30 (P = 0.01) and 50 (P = 0.02) were higher than the healthy group. Also, the significant rising of the stained sperm was observed in the infected group on day 20 (P = 0.01). Sperm stained with TB in the infected group has significantly increased on days 30 to 60 [day 30 (P = 0.001), 40 (P < 0.001), 50 (P = 0.014), and 60 (P = 0.001)]. T. gondii infection leads to the diminished fertility parameters as well as the damaged DNA sperm. The parasite could temporarily interfere with the male reproductive system.