Alterações histopatológicas testiculares associadas a infecção experimental por vírus Zika em macacos-de-cheiro / Testicular histopathological changes associated with experimental infection by zika virus in squirrel monkeys

ABSTRACT

The Zika virus belongs to the family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus. It is an arbovirus whose main vectors are mosquitoes of the genus Aedes. Studies in rodents have shown that the persistence of the virus in the testicles causes damage to the reproductive tissue. This work aimed to study the effect of experimental infection by the Zika virus on fertility in non-human primates of the species Saimiri collinsi. Five pre-pubertal males (≤2 years old) of the species Saimiri collinsi were used. Three animals were infected (infected group) with the strain of Zika virus BE H815744. Two other uninfected males were used as a negative control (uninfected group). Twenty-one days after infection, infected and uninfected males were euthanized. After euthanasia, they were referred for necroscopic examination for macroscopic and microscopic evaluation. During the necropsy, the testicles were collected and fixed in 10% formaldehyde. After fixation, the tissues were processed routinely and embedded in paraffin. The slides were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histopathological evaluation. Histopathological changes were observed in the testis of three of the five animals. Different degrees of inflammation were identified, in addition to degeneration and/or necrosis. The three animals presented a reduced number of sperm cells, with no sperm and severe necrosis. The results obtained conclude that the Zika virus can cause pathological changes in the reproductive system of males of the species Saimiri collinsi.