Antibiotic tetracycline may affect sperm vitality, says a new study.

Researchers found that male pseudoscorpions given the antibiotic tetracycline suffer from significantly reduced sperm health and even pass down this harmful effect to their progeny.

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"This is the first research to show a transgenerational effect of antibiotics," said David Zeh, chair of the Department of Biology in the College of Science, according to Medical XPress.

"Tetracycline has a significant detrimental effect on male reproductive function and sperm viability of pseudoscorpions – reducing viability by up to 25 percent – and now we know that effect is passed on to the next generation. We didn't see the effect in subsequent generations."

The researchers from the University of Nevada, Reno, said the antibiotic reduced sperm viability up to 25 percent, reported QMI.

The effect may also be seen in humans, said researchers.

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The broad-spectrum antibiotic tetracycline has been used for six decades for, among other things, antimicrobial therapy in humans for conditions such as acne or bacterial infections.

The research was published online in the journal Scientific Reports.