Ureaplasma urealyticum and male infertility: an animal model: II. Morphologic changes of testicular tissue at light microscopic level and electron microscopic findings.

Testicular biopsies were obtained from Wistar rats that had been infected artificially with Ureaplasma urealyticum, serotype 3. Approximately 50% of the biopsy specimens obtained 3 and 6 months after infection showed degeneration of the germinal epithelium, giant cell formation and Leydig cell hyperplasia. Electron microscopic studies revealed striking alterations of Sertoli cells, germ cells, and Leydig cells as well as ureaplasma organisms inside the seminiferous tubules. The changes noted in the ertoli cells were apparent as early as one week after infection.