Testicular Autoimmunity
Overview
Testicular autoimmunity arises in the forms of testicular vasculitis and orchitis. These two conditions can significantly decrease sperm production and cause symptoms associated with testicular discomfort.
Common Symptoms
Swollen testicles (one or both), mild-to-severe testicular pain, fever, nausea and vomiting, general malaise, infertility, scrotal pain, and urinary tract infection symptoms.
Coexisting Diseases and Conditions
Arthritis, polyarteritis nodosa, Behçet’s disease, Henoch-Schönlein purpura.
Risk Factors and Prevalence
Previous cases of infectious orchitis, general severe infections, having had a vasectomy, having cystic fibrosis, and prior viral infection.
Recent Research
- Complementing testicular immune regulation: The relationship between Sertoli cells, complement, and the immune response (2023)
- Activin A and CCR2 regulate macrophage function in testicular fibrosis caused by experimental autoimmune orchitis (2022)
- Reassessment of a decade of experience of testicular torsion: Are we making a mistake? (2022)
- Pathomechanisms of autoimmune based testicular inflammation (2020)
Sources
- Article Sources
Jacobo, P., Guazzone, V. A., Theas, M. S., & Lustig, L. (2011). Testicular autoimmunity. Autoimmunity reviews, 10(4), 201–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autrev.2010.09.026.
Suo, L., Perez, L. C., & Finch, C. J. (2019). Testicular granulomatous vasculitis mimicking testicular torsion in an anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis patient. SAGE open medical case reports, 7, 2050313X18823451. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050313X18823451.
Smith, H. (n.d.). Testicular vasculitis: Radiology Reference Article. Radiopaedia Blog RSS. https://radiopaedia.org/articles/testicular-vasculitis?lang=gb.
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2020, November 6). Orchitis. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/orchitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20375860.
Trojian, T., Lishnak, T. S., & Heiman, D. L. (2009, April 1). Epididymitis and Orchitis: An Overview. American Family Physician. https://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/0401/p583.html.
Silva, C. A., Cocuzza, M., Borba, E. F., & Bonfá, E. (2012). Cutting-edge issues in autoimmune orchitis. Clinical reviews in allergy & immunology, 42(2), 256–263. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12016-011-8281-z.
Rose, N. R., & Mackay, I. R. (2020). The Autoimmune Diseases (6th ed., p. 1241-1243). Academic Press.