Exam 2: Male Reproductive Pathology

Question 1

How does the immunology of the testicle impact the pathology of the organ?

Answer 1

Germ cells (sperm) are seen as foreign to the immune system
Seminiferous tubules are immune privileged site, sited from systemic immunity via blood-testis barrier created by sertoli cells and basement membrane
Entire organ is immunosuppressed due to testosterone production

Question 2

Cryptorchidism

Answer 2

Most common disorder of sexual development in males (XY SRY +)
More often unilateral than bilateral
Will remain small even after puberty
Multifactorial
Leads to increased risk of testicular neoplasms (sertoli>seminoma>leydig)
NO SPERMATOGENESIS

Question 3

Testicular Degeneration

Answer 3

Defect in spermatogenesis after puberty
Numerous causes
Can be unilateral (local) or bilateral (systemic)

Question 3

Testicular Hypoplasia

Answer 3

Defect in spermatogenesis prior to or at the time of puberty
Can occur secondary to other diseases of as a primary disease
Seem commonly with cryptorchidism

Question 4

What does acute vs chronic testicular degeneration look like grossly?

Answer 4

Acute = soft and flabby
Chronic = small and firm (fibrosis)

Question 5

Orchitis (+ causes)

Answer 5

Inflammation of the testicle
Primary causes are rare (brucella sp, tuberculosis)

Question 6

Epididymitis
Most common cause?

Answer 6

Inflammation of the epididymus
Far more common than orchitis
Bacterial infections are the most common cause - almost all infections are ascening (except brucella)

Question 7

Sperm Granuloma

Answer 7

Inflammatory response to germ cells (sperm) escaping immune priviledged seminiferous tubules/epididymus

Question 8

What can cause testicular inflammation?

Answer 8

Any injury that results in compromise of the blood/testis barrier
Trauma, inflammation/infection, neoplasia

Question 9

Leydig Cell Tumors

Answer 9

Common in bulls, dog, cats
Yellowish in color, well demarcated
Firm to semi-firm
Often cystic +/- hemorrhage
Most do not produce testosterone
Almost always benign
DOES bulge on cut section

Question 10

Sertoli Cell Tumor

Answer 10

Common in dogs
Firm and fibrous
Does NOT bulge on cut section
Pale tan to white
1/3 cause gynecomastia (estrogen and inhibin release)

Question 11

What is the pathogenesis of gynecomastia with sertoli cell tumors?

Answer 11

Production of (1) estrogens = alopecia, gynecomastia, prostatic hyperplasia +/- squamous metaplasia
(2) inhibins = decreased testosterone (atrophy of contralateral testicle

Question 12

Seminoma

Answer 12

Most common testicular neoplasm of horse, and common in dog
Soft, pale tan to pink +/- hemorrhage
Bulges on cut surface
Rare reports of metastasis

Question 13

What are the 3 catergories of spermatic cord disease?

Answer 13

Torsion
Vasculitis
Varicocele

Question 14

What are the types of accessory gland pathologies?

Answer 14

Prostatic lesions most common = hyperplasia, inflammation, neoplasia
Vesicular glands, ampullae, bulbourethra less common to have primary disease

Question 15

Canine Prostatic Hyperplasia

Answer 15

Common in middle age to older intact dogs
Tenesmus, +/- stranguria
Hyperplasia results from hormonal imbalance –> squamous metaplasia
Vary from cystic to solid
Can be seen with dogs with sertoli cell tumors

Question 16

Prostatitis

Answer 16

Benign prostatic hyperplasia can predispose
Infectious agents ascending from urinary tract (E. coli, proteus vulgaris, strep, staph)
Varies from abscess formation to diffuse inflammation
Brucella can commonly be isolated

Question 17

Wha is the only prostatic neoplasm of importance in domestic animals? What are some characteristics?

Answer 17

Canine prostatic carcinoma
Castration is not protective - not hormonally produced
Dogs over 10 yrs old, poor prognosis (80% have mets at time of presentation)
Difficult to differentiate from urothelial carcinomas

Question 18

Persistent Frenulum

Answer 18

Band of tissue between the ventral raphe of the penis and prepuce
Common in boar and boar
Considered minor anatomic abnormality

Question 19

Penile Trauma

Answer 19

Rupture of the erectile tissue typically due to incorrect deviation during breeding
Can be life-threatening
Dogs can fracture os penis

Question 20

Priapsim

Answer 20

Prolonged erection, more than 4 hours
Will become traumatized, dry, and undergo necrosis

Question 21

Paraphimosis

Answer 21

Inability to retract the penis
Most common in the stallion
Usually secondary due to trauma, infection, or neoplasms

Question 22

Balanitis

Answer 22

Inflammation of the glans penis

Question 23

Posthitis

Answer 23

Inflammation of the prepuce

Question 24

Balanoposthitis

Answer 24

Inflammation of both the prepuce and glans penis

Question 25

Is inflammation more common with intact or castrated animals?

Answer 25

Castrated

Question 26

Etiologic agents of herpesviral balanoposthitis

Answer 26

Stallions = equine herpesvirus 3
Bulls = bovine herpesvirus 1
Dog = canine herpesvirus 1

Question 27

What is the clinical course of herpesviral balanoposthitis?

Answer 27

Short clinical course
Ulcerative –> resolution

Question 28

Enzootic Posthitis/Balanoposthitis

Answer 28

Sheath rot, pizzle rot
Corynebacterium renale in rams

Question 29

What is the pathogenesis of pizzle rot?

Answer 29

Increased protein diet –> increased urinary urea –> hydrolysis of urea by C. renale –> production of ammonia –> local irritation/injury via ammonia

Question 30

Habronemiasis

Answer 30

Summer Sores
Parasitic larvae are deposited via flies
Result in granulomatous lesions
dDx = squamous cell carcinoma

Question 31

Fibropapillomas

Answer 31

Bovine papilloma virus 1
Young animals
Multiple warty masses with uclerations

Question 32

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Answer 32

Common in geldings and stallions
Associated with equine papillomavirus-2
More commonly nonpigmented skin

Question 33

What are dDx for squamous cell carcinomas?

Answer 33

Habronema
Equine sarcoids
Exuberant granulation tissue