Processing of semen in an antibiotic-rich culture medium to minimize microbial presence during in vitro fertilization

Real-time polymerase chain reaction shows that density centrifugation does not always remove Chlamydia trachomatis from human semen

“…Currently the most widely used methods of sperm preparation are swim-up or density gradient centrifugation (10). The clinical importance of sperm washing is evident as bacteriospermia in the male partners of couples attending for ART is common (11). However, although it has been suggested that sperm washing was highly effective in removing bacteria (12), later studies (13)(14)(15) have suggested it may only be 95% efficient.…”

Elimination of bacteria from human semen during sperm preparation using density gradient centrifugation with a novel tube insert

“…Bacterial contaminants, as well as sexual transmitted pathogens such as Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum, have been found in processed sperm samples (Cottell et al, 1997;Huyser et al, 1991;Knox et al, 2003). During standard processing methods, the supernatant is aspirated to allow access to the purified sperm pellet.…”

“…During assisted reproductive techniques (ART) including intra-uterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (Krissi et al, 2004), the natural immunological defence mechanisms present in the female reproductive tract are bypassed (Cottell et al, 1997). Consequently, bacteria may be introduced into the upper genital tract, or the embryo culture system, potentially leading to a compromised outcome of ART and, or infection of the female genital tract (Cottell et al, 2000;Cottell et al, 1997;Kastrop et al, 2007;Huyser et al, 1991). The frequency of micro-organism infections post-IUI is approximately 0.01% (Broder, Sims & Rothman, 2007) and infections of in vitro embryo culture systems, range between 0.35% and 0.68% (Kastrop et al, 2007;Cottell et al, 1996).…”

“…However, antibiotic treatment will be ineffective against skin contaminants present in semen. Therefore, antibiotics (penicillin, streptomycin and gentamycin) are usually added to semen processing and embryo culture media (Cottell et al, 1997;Kastrop et al, 2007;Magli et al, 1996;Gardner & Lane, 2007). This addition of antibiotics to culture media, however, may result in antibiotic resistant bacterial strains (Kastrop et al, 2007), as well as a decreased embryo cleavage rate (Magli et al, 1996;Lemeire, Van Merris & Cortvrindt, 2007).…”

“…Depending on the processing method employed, 5% -43% of sperm samples will remain positive for bacteria post-processing (Cottell et al, 1997;Huyser et al, 1991;Knox et al, 2003). Procedural failure could be attributed to the contamination of the sperm pellets post-processing.…”