A retrospective analysis of adverse effects of an in vivo fluoroquinolone antibiotic enrofloxacin treatment on oocyte quality in the common marmoset

[Display omitted] •Enrofloxacin negatively affects number and quality of primate oocytes.•The effect is most pronounced about two months after treatment.•Primary damaging effect of enrofloxacin is on early developing follicles. Here we report a retrospective analysis of negative effects of routine enrofloxacin treatment of recurrent diarrhea on the ovary and the developing oocytes of the common marmoset, a small New World primate. The most deleterious effect on oocytes was observed about two months post treatment suggesting that the enrofloxacin effect is on early growing follicles. Manifestations of toxicity included decreased numbers of growing follicles and recovered culturable oocytes, as well as signs of early atresia of granulosa cells. In addition, increased amounts of holed stroma after treatment strongly suggested increased death of the early growing follicles. Of the oocytes judged to be of adequate quality for culture, maturation rates were not affected but fertilization of in vitro matured MII oocytes and subsequent cleavage rates were severely reduced in the enrofloxacin treated animals. Further, the arrested oocytes, which failed to mature or fertilize, showed obvious meiotic spindle abnormalities.