Seminal tract infections: impact on male fertility and treatment options

Keck, Christoph; Gerber-Schäfer, C; Clad, Andreas; Wilhelm, Christian; Breckwoldt, M.

doi:10.1093/humupd/4.6.891

Cited by 251 publications

(218 citation statements)

References 109 publications

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“…The importance of genital tract microorganisms as an etiologic factor in male infertility is still a controversial topic (5,11,31). The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of several common sexually transmitted pathogens in healthy, male, infertility patients, and study their relationship to LCS and other markers of genital tract inflammation, and to semen quality parameters.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, there has been little evidence for a strong relationship between bacterial infection in the male genital tract and LCS (11). However, CT, an intracellular parasite which is the most prevalent sexually transmitted bacterial pathogen in industrialized nations (31), has been associated with LCS. A recent study utilizing nested plasmid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) found both significantly higher seminal WBC concentrations and a greater prevalence of LCS in men who were positive for CT DNA (32).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Prevalence of sexually transmissible pathogens in semen from asymptomatic male infertility patients with and without leukocytospermia

Bezold

Politch

Kiviat

et al. 2007

Fertility and Sterility

218

167

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Objective-To determine the prevalence of pathogens that cause sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in semen from asymptomatic male infertility patients with and without leukocytospermia (LCS), and associations between STIs, inflammatory markers and other semen variables.Design-Retrospective, controlled study. Results-STI DNA was detected in 45/241 (18.7%) of the samples (CMV 8.7%, HPV 4.5%, HHV-6 3.7%, HSV 3.7%, CT 2.5%, EBV 0.4%, and HBV 0%), with no difference in prevalence between LCS and non-LCS groups. STI DNA in semen was associated with a decrease in sperm concentration, motile sperm concentration, total sperm count and neutral α-glucosidase concentration, whereas LCS was associated with a decrease in total sperm count, % normal forms and fructose concentration. Setting-CenterReprint requests: Deborah J. Anderson, Ph.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Boston University School of Medicine, 670 Albany Street, Suite 516, Boston, MA 02118, (FAX: 617-414-8481; e-mail: E-mail: deborah.anderson@bmc.org). Capsule: Sexually transmissible pathogens were detected in 19% of semen samples from infertility patients seeking routine semen analyses; their presence was not associated with leukocytospermia, but was associated with reduced semen quality.Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. Conclusion(s)-STI pathogen DNA was detected in semen from a high percentage of asymptomatic male infertility patients and was associated with poor semen quality. Efforts to diagnose and treat subclinical genital tract infections should be intensified. NIH Public Access

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of sexually transmissible pathogens in semen from asymptomatic male infertility patients with and without leukocytospermia

Bezold

Politch

Kiviat

et al. 2007

Fertility and Sterility

218

167

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Interestingly, in the present study, although the semen parameters were similar in controls and hepatitis patients, the three cases of failed fertilization occurred in the hepatitis group (two in the HBV group and one in the HBC patient), suggesting that impaired sperm binding in these patients may, in part be responsible for the poor results observed. It is also possible that viral infections per se may impair fertility by immunological, inflammatory, or direct toxic effects on spermatogenesis (24). It is tempting to speculate that these effects on sperm function may have contributed to the poor results observed in the HCV-positive group of patients.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive Performance of Couples Discordant for Hepatitis B and C Following IVF Treatment

Pirwany

Phillips

Kelly

et al. 2004

J Assist Reprod Genet

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Purpose : To examine the reproductive performance of hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) discordant couples following IVF-ET. Methods : A retrospective cohort study of 25 IVF-ET cycles in HBV and HCV discordant couples was performed. Thirteen patients in the study cohort were discordant for HBV (10 males and 3 females), and 12 (9 males and 3 females) for HCV. Twenty-seven consecutive age matched patients comprised the control group. All patients underwent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation using the long downregulation protocol followed by IVF or ICSI. Results : Patients in the three groups (HBV, HCV, and controls) had similar ages, and day 3 FSH concentrations. Despite comparable response to COH, and similar fertilization, and cleavage rates in the three groups, couples discordant for HBV or HCV had significantly poorer implantation and pregnancy rates (7.7%, 0% respectively) compared with controls (41%). Conclusions : Despite comparable response to COH, HBV and HCV positive discordant couples, have significantly lower implantation and pregnancy rates compared with age-matched controls.

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“…Aliquots of semen samples were transferred to a microbiology laboratory for bacterial cultures. Bacteria colony counts were performed on all morphotypes of possible seminal tract pathogens; the identification and susceptibility testing was performed when Z10 6 CFU/L colonies were counted [Keck et al 1998]. …”

Section: Assessment Of Semen Samplementioning

confidence: 99%

Cause-Specific Treatment in Patients with High Sperm DNA Damage Resulted in Significant DNA Improvement

Moskovtsev

Lecker²,

Mullen

et al. 2009

Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine

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Assessment of sperm DNA damage has been suggested as a negative predictor of fertility potential. Multiple pathological factors acting at both the intratesticular and post-testicular levels may contribute to sperm DNA damage. The relative contribution of each of these factors in an individual with high DNA damage (430%) is unclear. The management of patients with elevated DNA damage is also challenging. The purpose of our retrospective study was to evaluate the clinical course of patients with sperm DNA damage over 30% and to assess the effect of non-specific (oral antioxidant) and cause-specific treatments on the quality of their sperm DNA. Results of our retrospective study suggest that the evaluated group with high DNA damage was diagnostically heterogeneous and comprised patients with varicoceles, bacteriospermia and idiopathic infertility. A three month course of antioxidant therapy reduced sperm DNA damage in only 30/61 (49%) patients with significant improvement between the initial and post-treatment DNA Fragmentation Index (DFI) results (46.8% AE 14.1 vs. 36.7% AE 16.6, p < .001). The positive effect of antioxidants could be age-dependent, as patients older that 40 years of age showed no improvement after such treatment. The cause-specific treatments showed superior results compared to antioxidants alone. Improvement was observed in 7/9 (78%) of patients after surgical varicocele repair between the initial and post-treatment DFI results (44.7% AE 12.8 vs. 28.4% AE 9.5, p < .03). The majority of the patients 13/14 (93%) with bacteriospermia had improvement in sperm DFI results after antibiotic treatment (50.4% AE 19.1 vs. 38.6% AE 18.7, p < .001).

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Seminal tract infections: impact on male fertility and treatment options

Cited by 251 publications

References 109 publications

Prevalence of sexually transmissible pathogens in semen from asymptomatic male infertility patients with and without leukocytospermia

Prevalence of sexually transmissible pathogens in semen from asymptomatic male infertility patients with and without leukocytospermia

Reproductive Performance of Couples Discordant for Hepatitis B and C Following IVF Treatment

Cause-Specific Treatment in Patients with High Sperm DNA Damage Resulted in Significant DNA Improvement

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