Sperm cell granuloma in a gobbler (Meleagris Gallopavo)

Abstract

A 21 week-old local breed of a male turkey from a flock of eighteen was submitted to the Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria, for postmortem examination. On gross examination, all the organs were apparently normal, except the left testicle. The bean shaped appearance of the left testicle was slightly and cranially altered, shrunken with firm and moderately enlarged epididymis compared with the right testicle. Microscopically, there was severe diffuse testicular degeneration and necrosis of the germinal epithelial cells, extravasation of spermatozoa into the epididymal interstitium, inciting a granulomatous reaction with arteritis. Based on these findings, sperm cell granuloma was diagnosed. This is probably the first reported case of sperm cell granuloma in this species.

Keywords: Turkey, Testes, Sperm granuloma.