Zika Virus Infection Damages the Testes in Pubertal Common Squirrel Monkeys (<i>Saimiri collinsi</i>)
Gabriela da Costa Benchimol,
Josye Bianca Santos,
Ana Sophia da Costa Lopes,
Karol Guimarães Oliveira,
Eviny Sayuri Trindade Okada,
Bianca Nascimento de Alcantara,
Washington Luiz Assunção Pereira,
Danuza Leite Leão,
Ana Cristina Carneiro Martins,
Liliane Almeida Carneiro,
Aline Amaral Imbeloni,
Sheila Tetsume Makiama,
Luiz Paulo Printes Albarelli de Castro,
Leandro Nassar Coutinho,
Lívia Medeiros Neves Casseb,
Pedro Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos,
Sheyla Farhayldes Souza Domingues,
Daniele Barbosa de Almeida Medeiros,
Sarah Raphaella Rocha de Azevedo Scalercio
Affiliations
Gabriela da Costa Benchimol
Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ananindeua 67030-000, Pará, Brazil
Josye Bianca Santos
Laboratory of Amazon Animal Biotechnology and Medicine (BIOMEDAM), Federal University of Pará, Castanhal 68740-970, Pará, Brazil
Ana Sophia da Costa Lopes
National Primate Center, Ananindeua 67000-000, Pará, Brazil
Karol Guimarães Oliveira
National Primate Center, Ananindeua 67000-000, Pará, Brazil
Eviny Sayuri Trindade Okada
National Primate Center, Ananindeua 67000-000, Pará, Brazil
Bianca Nascimento de Alcantara
Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ananindeua 67030-000, Pará, Brazil
Washington Luiz Assunção Pereira
Laboratory of Animal Pathology (LABOPAT), Institute of Health and Animal Production, Federal Rural University of the Amazon, Belém 66077-830, Pará, Brazil
Danuza Leite Leão
Laboratory of Amazon Animal Biotechnology and Medicine (BIOMEDAM), Federal University of Pará, Castanhal 68740-970, Pará, Brazil
Ana Cristina Carneiro Martins
National Primate Center, Ananindeua 67000-000, Pará, Brazil
Liliane Almeida Carneiro
National Primate Center, Ananindeua 67000-000, Pará, Brazil
Aline Amaral Imbeloni
National Primate Center, Ananindeua 67000-000, Pará, Brazil
Sheila Tetsume Makiama
National Primate Center, Ananindeua 67000-000, Pará, Brazil
Luiz Paulo Printes Albarelli de Castro
The Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources, Belém 66087-441, Pará, Brazil
Leandro Nassar Coutinho
Laboratory of Animal Pathology (LABOPAT), Institute of Health and Animal Production, Federal Rural University of the Amazon, Belém 66077-830, Pará, Brazil
Lívia Medeiros Neves Casseb
Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ananindeua 67030-000, Pará, Brazil
Pedro Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos
Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ananindeua 67030-000, Pará, Brazil
Sheyla Farhayldes Souza Domingues
Laboratory of Amazon Animal Biotechnology and Medicine (BIOMEDAM), Federal University of Pará, Castanhal 68740-970, Pará, Brazil
Daniele Barbosa de Almeida Medeiros
Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ananindeua 67030-000, Pará, Brazil
Sarah Raphaella Rocha de Azevedo Scalercio
National Primate Center, Ananindeua 67000-000, Pará, Brazil
During the Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak and after evidence of its sexual transmission was obtained, concerns arose about the impact of the adverse effects of ZIKV infection on human fertility. In this study, we evaluated the clinical-laboratory aspects and testicular histopathological patterns of pubertal squirrel monkeys (Saimiri collinsi) infected with ZIKV, analyzing the effects at different stages of infection. The susceptibility of S. collinsi to ZIKV infection was confirmed by laboratory tests, which detected viremia (mean 1.63 × 106 RNA copies/µL) and IgM antibody induction. Reduced fecal testosterone levels, severe testicular atrophy and prolonged orchitis were observed throughout the experiment by ultrasound. At 21 dpi, testicular damage associated with ZIKV was confirmed by histopathological and immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses. Tubular retraction, the degeneration and necrosis of somatic and germ cells in the seminiferous tubules, the proliferation of interstitial cells and an inflammatory infiltrate were observed. ZIKV antigen was identified in the same cells where tissue injuries were observed. In conclusion, squirrel monkeys were found to be susceptible to the Asian variant of ZIKV, and this model enabled the identification of multifocal lesions in the seminiferous tubules of the infected group evaluated. These findings may suggest an impact of ZIKV infection on male fertility.
