Peterson K, Brinkhof J, Houwers D J, Colenbrander B, Gadella B M
Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, PO Box 80151, NL-3508 TD Utrecht, Yalelaan 7, The Netherlands.
Theriogenology. 2008 Mar 1;69(4):433-42. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2007.10.013. Epub 2007 Nov 26.
To be able to predict sexual transmissibility of small ruminant lenti viruses (SRLV), it is necessary to know whether or not the virus is excreted in the semen, and under what circumstances. Thus, this research focussed on establishing the presence of proviral DNA of SRLV in semen and in the male genital tract of small ruminants. After initial results established the presence of SRLV in serum, the emergence of proviral DNA of SRLV in semen and presence in blood in a group of naturally SRLV-infected individuals (13 rams and 4 bucks), was followed temporally using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The same animals were also systematically serologically monitored by enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) during the breeding season (August-February). A triple monocyte-macrophage count was performed on both blood and semen using a specific monoclonal antibody in conjunction with flow cytometry. The finding that epididymal semen and tissue samples of the testes, epididymides, ampullary, vesicular, prostate and bulbo-urethral glands all tested positive for the presence of proviral DNA indicates that various male sexual organs may contribute directly to shedding of proviral SRLV DNA in ejaculated semen. Our results suggest that small ruminants show intermittent shedding of proviral SRLV DNA into epididymal as well as ejaculated semen. They also demonstrate that a single PCR-negative semen sample cannot be used as a diagnostic tool to predict that subsequent ejaculates will be SRLV-free. No significant relationship was found between numbers of monocytes and/or macrophages in blood or semen and the detection of proviral SRLV in ejaculates.
为了能够预测小反刍兽慢病毒（SRLV）的性传播能力，有必要了解该病毒是否会通过精液排出以及在何种情况下排出。因此，本研究聚焦于确定SRLV前病毒DNA在小反刍兽精液及雄性生殖道中的存在情况。在初步结果确定血清中存在SRLV后，采用实时聚合酶链反应（PCR）对一组自然感染SRLV的个体（13只公羊和4只公鹿）精液中SRLV前病毒DNA的出现情况及血液中的存在情况进行了时间上的跟踪。在繁殖季节（8月至2月），还通过酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）对相同动物进行了系统的血清学监测。使用特异性单克隆抗体结合流式细胞术对血液和精液进行了三联单核细胞 - 巨噬细胞计数。附睾精液以及睾丸、附睾、壶腹、精囊、前列腺和尿道球腺的组织样本中前病毒DNA检测均呈阳性，这一发现表明各种雄性性器官可能直接导致射精精液中前病毒SRLV DNA的脱落。我们的结果表明，小反刍兽会间歇性地将前病毒SRLV DNA排入附睾精液以及射精精液中。它们还表明，单个PCR阴性的精液样本不能用作预测后续射精不含SRLV的诊断工具。在血液或精液中的单核细胞和/或巨噬细胞数量与射精中前病毒SRLV的检测之间未发现显著关系。
