Aerobic and Anaerobic Bacterial Flora in Semen from Fertile and Infertile Groups of Men

Abstract

Semen samples were collected by masturbation under asceptic conditions from men who had sired children within the past 6 mo (group A) and asymptomatic men attending an infertility clinic who had not sired children and whose wives were asymptomatic for infertility (group B). These 109 semen samples were analyzed and cultured for isolation of aerobic and anaerobic organisms. Overall, 68% of the specimens had positive bacterial cultures: 54% of the samples from group A were positive and 73% from group B were positive. Mixed bacterial flora were isolated from both groups but in group B they were more varied and present in a higher colony count than in group A. Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staph. aureus, Corynebacterium species, Mycoplasma hominis, and Ureaplasma urealyticum were isolated from group A. Group B revealed these organisma plus Streptococcus pneumoniae type 111, Strep. pyogenes group A, Strep. feacalis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Candida albicans, Bacteroides species, Peptostreptococcus species, and Eubacterium species. Semen samples from group A were of better quality than those from group B. In addition, the antibacterial effect of seminal plasma from group A was greater than that from group B.

Detection and identification of bacterial DNA in semen

“…A 1979 study by Rehewy et al (15) yielded bacterial growth from 54% of 26 specimens from fertile men and 73% of 83 infertile men. Five organisms were cultured from the fertile men: Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Corynebacterium, Mycoplasma hominis, and Ureaplasma urealyticum.…”

Microbiota of the seminal fluid from healthy and infertile men

“…Infections and consequent inflammation in the male reproductive tract may compromise spermatogenesis and sperm cell function (11-13). The relationship between the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in the reproductive tract and infertility is widely documented (14-16). Several kinds of microorganisms found in the male urogenital tract are associated with sperm abnormalities, especially aberrant motility, deficient mitochondrial function, and loss of DNA integrity (17, 18).…”

In Vitro Effect of Escherichia Coli on Human Sperm Acrosome Reaction

“…Microbiological examinations of ejaculates from partners in infertile couples showed wide ranges and various frequencies of bacterial presence. Escherichia cofi were isolated in 5 1 0 % of the samples [6,14,181. The majority (46.2%) of E. cofi isolates were classified as 0, antigen serotype [4].…”