The effects of dimethoate (5, 15 and 28 mg kg(-1) day(-1)), deltamethrin (5 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) and their mixture (5 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) on male reproduction in mice were studied. The insecticides were given orally by gavage to male mice for 21 days. At the end of the treatment period, body, testes and epididymides weights and sperm parameters were determined. Alone mixture treatment has significantly decreased body weights. Dimethoate at 28 mg kg(-1) day(-1), deltamethrin at 5 mg kg(-1) day(-1) and their mixture at 5 mg kg(-1) day(-1) were associated with a significantly decreased sperm count, motility and viability and significantly increased percent morphologically abnormal spermatozoa compared with the controls. This study demonstrated the adverse effects of dimethoate at high dose, deltamethrin and their combining at 5 mg kg(-1) day(-1) on reproductive system and sperm parameters in male mice.

Conséquences de la contamination in vitro des embryons de souris et de vaches par Brucella abortus RéiUMÉ par z. MALLEK (1), B. Gu�RIN (2), M. NIBART (3), M. PAREZ (3) et M. THIBIER (2) (3) In conclusion, embryos from cows with high breeding values but unfortunately affected with brucellosis may be transferred with no risk of contamination neither to the embryo nor to the recipient.

Chlamydia trachomatis is a common sexually transmitted pathogen. The impact of chlamydial infection on male infertility is controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the role of C trachomatis human genital serovar E on sperm function, induction of apoptosis in spermatozoa, and reproductive performance, using the Swiss male mice model. Fertile mice were inoculated in the meatus urethra with 10 6 C trachomatis inclusion-forming units at day 0. The studied parameters were evaluated 7, 15, 21, and 30 days postinoculation (pi) in infected and sham-infected controls. Semen parameters of the infected mice groups were significantly lower than those of the control groups at the different days pi. DNA fragmentation study indicated that the mean percentages of apoptotic spermatozoa in the infected mice groups were significantly higher than those in the control groups 7 and 15 days pi, whereas the mean percentages of necrotic spermatozoa in the infected mice groups were significantly higher than those in the control group on the 30th day pi. A decrease in reproductive performance was observed at different days pi in infected male mice groups when compared to the control groups. Furthermore, a statistically significant decrease in the mean number of infant mice was observed at 21 and 30 days pi. In conclusion, our data showed that inoculation of fertile male Swiss mice in the meatus urethra with C trachomatis could lead to alteration of semen parameters, induction of apoptosis in spermatozoa, and decrease of the reproductive performance of male mice.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of date seed oil (DSO) on epididymal sperm characteristics and testicular antioxidant enzymes in male mice. DSO was diluted into isotonic saline solution (0.9%) and different doses (5, 10, 15 and 20%) were prepared. Fifty male mice were divided into five groups; in four groups DSO was given by intraperitoneal injection of oil solution for 28 days. The control group was injected by isotonic saline solution without DSO. Body and reproductive organ weights, sperm characteristics (count, motility, viability and morphology) were assessed. In addition, levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were investigated in testes. A significant increase in sperm count, motility and viability of all treated animal groups was observed when compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Unlike, the percentage of abnormal sperm was significantly lower in all treated groups than in the control group (P < 0.05). A significant decrease in MDA levels and marked increase in SOD and CAT activities in mice treated with high doses of DSO (15 and 20%) were also noted. We suggest that DSO can improve the epididymal sperm quality and could ameliorate the testicular strategy defences.

Pesticides can be toxic to desirable plants and animals, including humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the reproductive effects of low doses of pesticides on male offspring of exposed pregnant mice. Three groups of five female mice were treated daily by oral gavage with dimethoate (5 mg kg(-1) per day), deltamethrin (5 mg kg(-1) per day) and their mixture at 5 mg kg(-1) per day from day 3 to day 21 of pregnancy. Fertility, sexual behaviour and a number of reproductive endpoints, such as organ weights, sperm evaluations and testicular histology, were examined on four adult male offspring of exposed pregnant mice. When compared with control, a dose of deltamethrin 5 mg kg j(-1) causes a decrease in the absolute and relative weight of the testes of exposed mice and it affects their fertility by reducing the density, mobility and vitality of sperm and increasing the number of abnormal forms of these cells (P ≤ 0.01). The same results were obtained in mice exposed to a dose of 5 mg kg j(-1) combination of dimethoate and deltamethrin. This study demonstrated that deltamethrin and combination of dimethoate and deltamethrin caused a decrease in the absolute and relative weight of the testes, which affected the sperm parameters of male offspring of exposed mice to a low dose of these pesticides during pregnancy.