Elena Moretti1, Natale Figura2, Maria Stella Campagna2, Francesca Iacoponi3, Stefano Gonnelli2, Giulia Collodel4. 1. Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. Electronic address: elena.moretti@unisi.it. 2. Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. 3. Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", Rome, Italy. 4. Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between chronic infections detected in serum and semen quality. The pathogen burden is a concept consisting in the observation that, in patients with heart disease, damaging effects of the coronary arteries increase concomitantly with the number of agents responsible for chronic infections to which patients mounted a serological response. Previous observations that Helicobacter pylori infection may reduce the semen quality prompted us to perform the present study. METHODS: Blood and semen samples were collected from 73 selected men, enrolled from January 2014 to January 2015. Semen characteristics were evaluated by light and transmission electron microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy data were quantified with a mathematical formula providing numerical scores, such as fertility index (FI, number of sperm free from ultrastructural defects) and the percentages of sperm apoptosis, immaturity, and necrosis. Serum samples were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the presence of immunoglobulin G to the most common agents of chronic infections such as H. pylori (HP), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP), Chlamydophila pneumoniae (CP), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), and cytomegalovirus (CMV). RESULTS: The prevalence of infections was as follows: HP 43.8%, CP 46.6%, MP 72.6%, EBV 95.9%, HSV-1 74.0%, and CMV 46.6%. Concomitantly with the increased number of pathogens against which the patients mounted a significant antibody response, sperm concentration (P <.05), sperm motility (P <.001), and fertility index (P <.001) were significantly reduced and the percentage of necrotic sperm was increased (P <.01). CONCLUSION: The higher the number of pathogens stimulating an immunoglobulin G systemic response, the lower was the semen quality.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between chronic infections detected in serum and semen quality. The pathogen burden is a concept consisting in the observation that, in patients with heart disease, damaging effects of the coronary arteries increase concomitantly with the number of agents responsible for chronic infections to which patients mounted a serological response. Previous observations that Helicobacter pyloriinfection may reduce the semen quality prompted us to perform the present study. METHODS: Blood and semen samples were collected from 73 selected men, enrolled from January 2014 to January 2015. Semen characteristics were evaluated by light and transmission electron microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy data were quantified with a mathematical formula providing numerical scores, such as fertility index (FI, number of sperm free from ultrastructural defects) and the percentages of sperm apoptosis, immaturity, and necrosis. Serum samples were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the presence of immunoglobulin G to the most common agents of chronic infections such as H. pylori (HP), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP), Chlamydophila pneumoniae (CP), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), and cytomegalovirus (CMV). RESULTS: The prevalence of infections was as follows: HP 43.8%, CP 46.6%, MP 72.6%, EBV 95.9%, HSV-1 74.0%, and CMV 46.6%. Concomitantly with the increased number of pathogens against which the patients mounted a significant antibody response, sperm concentration (P <.05), sperm motility (P <.001), and fertility index (P <.001) were significantly reduced and the percentage of necrotic sperm was increased (P <.01). CONCLUSION: The higher the number of pathogens stimulating an immunoglobulin G systemic response, the lower was the semen quality.
Authors: Sorena Keihani; James R Craig; Chong Zhang; Angela P Presson; Jeremy B Myers; William O Brant; Kenneth I Aston; Benjamin R Emery; Timothy G Jenkins; Douglas T Carrell; James M Hotaling Journal: Asian J Androl Date: 2018 May-Jun Impact factor: 3.285
Authors: Charlotte James; Manale Harfouche; Nicky J Welton; Katherine Me Turner; Laith J Abu-Raddad; Sami L Gottlieb; Katharine J Looker Journal: Bull World Health Organ Date: 2020-03-25 Impact factor: 9.408