The lack of the influence of various species of Mycoplasma spp. on canine semen quality

K. Domrazek, P. Konieczny, M. Majka, M. Czopowicz, A. Cywińska, P. Jurka

Department of Small Animal Diseases and Clinic, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences- SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159c, 02-776, Warsaw, Poland; Department of Transplantation, Institute of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 30-663, Krakow, Poland; Division of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159c, 02-776, Warsaw, Poland; Department of Basic and Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Lwowska 1, 87-100, Toruń, Poland; VET CELL TECH Sp. z.o.o., 30-348, Cracow, Poland

Abstract: Mycoplasmas colonize fish, reptiles, birds and mammals, being commensals or causing diseases, sometimes severe in ruminants, swine, poultry, or wildlife animals. So far, 15 species of canine Mycoplasma spp. have been described. Conflicting results have been presented regarding the pathogenicity of Mycoplasma spp. Although many virulence factors of these bacteria have been described, they still require attention. The main aim of our study was to evaluate the presence of known canine Mycoplasmas in the male reproductive tract of clinically healthy dogs. The second aim was to check if Mycoplasma spp. cause any abnormalities in semen quality that could have further consequences and to propose the schemes for managing the carriers.

83.3% of examined dogs were Mycoplasma spp. -positive dogs, and most of them were the carriers of more than one species. Six dogs had azoospermic ejaculates. The total spermatozoa numbers were similar in Mycoplasma -positive and negative groups. Motility was slightly higher in Mycoplasma spp.-negative group, but the difference was not statistically significant. There was no significant difference in semen characteristics between the carriers and Mycoplasma spp.-negative dogs. Neither the individual species nor the number of species strains had a significant effect on sperm morphological parameters as well as viability.

Semen quality parameters are not correlated with the species found on the prepuce. Over 70% Mycoplasma spp.- positive dogs have more than one species of this bacteria. Despite finding mycoplasmas in azoospermic dogs, we suggest that they were not the cause of infertility. Mycoplasma spp. could be a part of normal microbiota in canine prepuce in individuals without any clinical signs.

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Theriogenology – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.02.018
Received 27 November 2023, Revised 19 February 2024, Accepted 19 February 2024, Available online 22 February 2024, Version of Record 24 February 2024.