STUDY OF CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS INFECTION, INFLAMMATORY MARKERS AND SEMEN QUALITY IN PATIENTS WITH LOWER URINARY TRACT SYMPTOMS

San Miguel de Tucuman

Congreso; LXVII Reunión Anual de SAI; 2019

Sociedad Argentina de Inmunologia

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is the most common bacterial cause of sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. However, whether CT infection of the male urogenital tract (MUT) is detrimental to sperm quality and male fertility is controversial. Herein, we analyzed the prevalence of CT infection or co-infection of the MUT and its impact on semen quality parameters in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).Semen samples were collected from a total of 42 patients with LUTS and 35 control healthy individuals. Common uropathogen infections were assessed by PCR. Semen quality parameters, leukocytospermia, ROS and inflammatory cytokines were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA. CT infection was detected in 24 out of 42 patients with LUTS revealing a striking prevalence of 52%. Other uropathogens showed to be much less prevalence. Either CT mono-infection or co-infection did not associate to significant alterations in most of the semen quality parameters analyzed (p˃0.05). When classifying patients according to markers of inflammation, only 6 out of 17 CT-infected patients showed increased levels of inflammatory cytokines in semen. Moreover, these patients revealed significantly increased leukocytospermia and reduced levels of citrate (p<0.05). Strikingly, CT-infection associated to significantly reduced levels of ROS in seminal plasma (p<0.05). Our results revealed a significant prevalence of CT-infection in men with LUTS from our region. Moreover, male urogenital CT infection associates to increased inflammatory markers in semen in only 1/3 of patients and alters minor semen quality parameters. Altogether, our results suggest that CT-infection of the MUT does not significantly compromises semen quality.