PATHOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE EFFECT OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII ON THE GENITALIA OF DROMEDARY CAMELS IN SOME GOVERNORATES OF EGYPT

The current study was conducted to evaluate the seroprevalence of Egyptian camel toxoplasmosis in different localities and its pathological alterations in the reproductive organs. Serum samples were collected from 200 dromedary camels and 240 tissue samples of 100 testis, 100 uteri and 40 brains from both sexes. Indirect hemagglutination test (IHAT) was applied for screening all serum samples for Toxplasma antibodyes titers. The isolation of T. gondii parasite by laboratory mice inoculation from homogenized parts of testis, uterus and brains of infected camels was conducted to confirm the positive results obtained by IHAT. The epididymal spermatozoa were collected to evaluate the motility, viability, sperm count,
total abnormalities and acrosomal defects. According to the obtained results of antibody titer by IHAT the animals were classified into four groups: Group 1 (-ve IgG and - ve IgM , uninfected group), Group 2 (-ve IgG and + ve IgM , recent infection) ,Group 3 (+ve IgG and - ve IgM , old infection) and Group 4 ( + ve IgG and +ve IgM , evolutive toxoplasmosis).
The obtained results revealed that 60 % were positive in IHAT and infection rate was 50%, 33.33% and 16.66 in infected male camel respectively. While in infected she-camel, 55%
were positive and the infection rate was 36.36 %, 45.45 %, 18.18 % respectively.
[The [main pathological alterations were neuropathological changes associated with orchitis,
endometritis and myometritis. Toxoplasma gondii infection resulted in highly significant
increase in sperm abnormalities and acrosomal defects as well as decrease in percentages of
sperm motility, viability and concentration. The current study concluded that T. gondii has
direct effect on sperm parameters, which may lead to infertility problems in male camel, and
the parasite has the ability to transmit through semen to she-camel