Analysis of Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, and Chlamydia trachomatis infection of the male genitourinary tract and semen quality parameters.

PAIRA, DANIELA A.; TISSERA, ANDREA; MOLINA, ROSA; SALAZAR, FLORENCIA C.; RIVERO, VIRGINIA E.; MOTRICH, RUBEN D.

Buenos Aires

Congreso; Reunión Conjunta de Sociedades de Biociencias.; 2017

Male factors account for up to 50% of infertility cases, and infection in the genitourinary tract may play a contributing role in up to 15% of male infertility. In fact, several microorganisms have been proposed to play a pathogenic role in both genital infections and male infertility. Leukocytospermia is a well-known indicator of male urogenital infection or inflammation that can be deleterious to sperm.This study aimed to analyze leukocytospermia and standard semen quality parameters from infected and non-infected young adult men. A total of 930 semen specimens were collected by masturbation from men attending to the Andrology clinic in a period of seven years. Analysis of Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, and Chlamydia trachomatis infection were performed by molecular or culture methods. Semen analysis was assessed according to the World Health Organization guidelines. Non-parametric tests were used for statistical analysis.Analysis of standard of semen quality parameters between non-infected and infected men showed that the presence of Ureaplasma urealyticum infection was associated with significantly increased semen leukocyte counts (p<0.05), low sperm concentration (p<0.0001) and abnormal sperm morphology (p<0.0001). On the other hand, the presence of Mycoplasma hominis or Chlamydia trachomatis infection did not associate with leukocytospermia (p>0.05). However, the presence of the latter both infections were associated with significantly decreased sperm viability (p<0.008) and normal morphology (p<0.004) levels.Our results revealed that although the presence of any of the infections analyzed herein seemed to negatively influence semen quality, Ureaplasma urealyticum infection increased seminal leukocyte concentrations and decreased sperm quality parameters. In conclusion, these data indicate once more that male genital tract infections should be routinely screened in the clinic when assessing potential causes of infertility.