Effect of chronic low-intensity microwave radiation on sperm count, sperm morphology, and testicular and epididymal tissues of rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic microwave ex posure on sperm count, sperm morphology, and the morphology of rat testis a nd epididymes. Continuous wave microwave radiation (9450 MHz) specific abso rption rate 1.80 W/kg and power density 2.65 mW/cm(2), was administered for 1 h a day for 13, 26, 39, and 52 days, which corresponded to 1, 2, 3, and 4 cycles of seminiferous epithelium, in mature male Sprague-Dawley rats. Th e rats were sacrificed under Ketalar anesthesia the day after exposure. The n epididymal sperm count, sperm morphology, and the weights of testis, epid idymes, seminal vesicles, and prostate were determined. Histologic examinat ions of testis and epididymes were performed. The parameters were compared with sham groups. Epididymal sperm count decreased significantly only in th e 52-day exposure group (p < 0.05). The percentage of abnormal sperm count changed significantly in the 26-, 39-, and 52-day exposure groups (p < 0.05 , p < 0.05, and p < 0.001, respectively). The weights of testis and epididy mes also changed significantly in the 26-, 39-, and 52-day exposure groups (p < 0.05, p < 0.05, and p < 0.05, respectively). Necrotic tubules, interst itial edema, perforated and necrotic tubules, decrease of spermatogenesis, and absent germinal epithelium in some tubules were observed in the exposed rat testes. In addition, we observed atrophy, interstitial edema, mononucl ear cell infiltration, and increased fibroblastic activity in the exposed r at epididymes. We concluded that epididymal sperm count and morphology and weight and morphology of testis and epididymes were affected by chronic pro longed microwave exposure. The incidence of symptoms mentioned here depende d on exposure duration.