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Home / Equine Research Bank / Antibiotics (Basel) / Sperm Quality during Storage Is Not Affected by the Presence...
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)2017; 7(1); doi: 10.3390/antibiotics7010001

Sperm Quality during Storage Is Not Affected by the Presence of Antibiotics in EquiPlus Semen Extender but Is Improved by Single Layer Centrifugation.

Abstract: Contamination of semen with bacteria arises during semen collection and handling. This bacterial contamination is typically controlled by adding antibiotics to semen extenders but intensive usage of antibiotics can lead to the development of bacterial resistance and may be detrimental to sperm quality. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of antibiotics in a semen extender on sperm quality and to investigate the effects of removal of bacteria by modified Single Layer Centrifugation (MSLC) through a colloid. Semen was collected from six adult pony stallions (three ejaculates per male). Aliquots of extended semen were used for MSLC with Equicoll, resulting in four treatment groups: control and MSLC in extender with antibiotics (CA and SA, respectively); control and MSLC in extender without antibiotics (CW and SW, respectively). Sperm motility, membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential and chromatin integrity were evaluated daily by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) and flow cytometry. There were no differences in sperm quality between CA and CW, or between SA and SW, although progressive motility was negatively correlated to total bacterial counts at 0 h. However, MSLC groups showed higher mean total motility (P < 0.001), progressive motility (P < 0.05), membrane integrity (P < 0.0001) and mitochondrial membrane potential (P < 0.05), as well as better chromatin integrity (P < 0.05), than controls. Sperm quality remained higher in the MSLC groups than controls throughout storage. These results indicate that sperm quality was not adversely affected by the presence of antibiotics but was improved considerably by MSLC.
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Publication Date: 2017-12-21 PubMed ID: 29267226PubMed Central: PMC5872112DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics7010001Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research investigates the effects of antibiotics in semen extenders and the removal of bacteria by modified Single Layer Centrifugation (MSLC) on sperm quality in ponies. The findings suggest that both the presence of antibiotics and MSLC do not negatively affect sperm quality; in fact, MSLC appears to improve it.

Background of the Study

  • The study tries to address an issue prevalent in semen collection and handling– bacterial contamination. While antibiotics are usually added to control it, intensive usage may not only lead to bacterial resistance but also potentially cause harm to sperm quality.
  • This led the researchers to not only examine the effect of antibiotics on sperm quality but also explore a possible improvement method, namely the use of a modified Single Layer Centrifugation (MSLC) procedure.

Research Methodology

  • The study collected semen samples from six adult pony stallions, with three ejaculates obtained from each.
  • The semen was then treated with four different procedures. It was extended with or without antibiotics, and used for MSLC with a colloid known as Equicoll, resulting in four treatment groups.
  • The sperm motility, membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, and chromatin integrity were then evaluated daily via computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) and flow cytometry.

Findings

  • The data revealed that there were no significant differences between the sperm quality when extended with antibiotics versus without (comparing CA with CW and SA with SW). Bacterial count at 0 hour negatively impacted the progressive motility.
  • In contrast, the MSLC groups showed markedly improved overall sperm quality in many aspects when compared to control counterparts—total and progressive motility, membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, and chromatin integrity. This remained true even after storage.

Conclusion

  • These findings suggest that while the presence of antibiotics in extender does not harm sperm quality, the use of MSLC improves it significantly.
  • This indicates the potential benefits of MSLC in semen management, which could help circumvent the overuse of antibiotics and its potential downsides.

Cite This Article

APA
Al-Kass Z, Spergser J, Aurich C, Kuhl J, Schmidt K, Johannisson A, Morrell JM. (2017). Sperm Quality during Storage Is Not Affected by the Presence of Antibiotics in EquiPlus Semen Extender but Is Improved by Single Layer Centrifugation. Antibiotics (Basel), 7(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics7010001

Publication

Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
ISSN: 2079-6382
NlmUniqueID: 101637404
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 7
Issue: 1

Researcher Affiliations

Al-Kass, Ziyad
  • Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden. ziyad.al.kass@slu.se.
  • Department of Surgery and Theriogenology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Mosul, Mosul 41002, Iraq. ziyad.al.kass@slu.se.
Spergser, Joachim
  • Institute of Microbiology, Vetmeduni Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria. joachim.spergser@vetmeduni.ac.at.
Aurich, Christine
  • Centre for Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, Vetmeduni Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria. Christine.Aurich@vetmeduni.ac.at.
Kuhl, Juliane
  • Centre for Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, Vetmeduni Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria. juliane.kuhl@vetmeduni.ac.at.
Schmidt, Kathrin
  • Centre for Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, Vetmeduni Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria. kathrin.schmidt@vetmeduni.ac.at.
Johannisson, Anders
  • Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden. Anders.Johannisson@slu.se.
Morrell, Jane M
  • Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden. jane.morrell@slu.se.

Conflict of Interest Statement

J.M.M. is the inventor of Equicoll and is one of the patent holders.

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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
  1. Al-Kass Z, Morrell JM, Ntallaris T. Effect of Centrifugation of Stallion Semen Through a Low Density Colloid Prior to Freezing on Sperm Cryosurvival. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jun 25;15(13).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15131881pubmed: 40646780google scholar: lookup
  2. Al-Kass Z, Morrell JM. Freezing Stallion Semen-What Do We Need to Focus on for the Future?. Vet Sci 2024 Feb 2;11(2).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci11020065pubmed: 38393083google scholar: lookup
  3. Zabala SM, Serres C, Montero N, Crespo F, Lorenzo PL, Pérez-Aguilera V, Galán C, Domínguez-Gimbernat M, Oliet A, Moreno S, González-Zorn B, Gutiérrez-Cepeda L. Strategies to Reduce the Use of Antibiotics in Fresh and Chilled Equine Semen. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jan 5;14(2).
    doi: 10.3390/ani14020179pubmed: 38254348google scholar: lookup
  4. Sadeghi S, Del Gallego R, García-Colomer B, Gómez EA, Yániz JL, Gosálvez J, López-Fernández C, Silvestre MA. Effect of Sperm Concentration and Storage Temperature on Goat Spermatozoa during Liquid Storage. Biology (Basel) 2020 Sep 19;9(9).
    doi: 10.3390/biology9090300pubmed: 32961716google scholar: lookup
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