Prospective surveillance of semen quality in the workplace.
We performed a prospective surveillance of semen quality among workers in the plant where 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane was first recognized as an occupational cause of impaired semen quality and of infertility. All male employees of the Agricultural Chemical Division were required to participate. Ninety-seven workers (92% participation) provided 258 semen samples over the 4 years of the program. Most samples were analyzed at the plant with a mini-laboratory designed for the study. Motility and shape measures were made objectively. Sixty-six subjects (68%) were non-azoospermic. Generalized multiple regression showed no significant predictors for any response, with the exception of the motility measures, which were reduced with longer times between ejaculation and assay. Between- and within-person standard deviations and correlations were calculated. Comparison of this population with fertile artificial insemination donors (16 men, 498 ejaculates) revealed generally higher ejaculate-to-ejaculate standard deviations in the worker samples. This is probably due to less well controlled conditions of sperm collection in the workplace setting. For cross-sectional studies, one ejaculate per worker is recommended as sufficient; for estimating an individual worker's mean, even three ejaculates may not provide enough precision.
Schenker
M B
MB
Dept of Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616.
Samuels
S J
SJ
Perkins
C
C
Lewis
E L
EL
Katz
D F
DF
Overstreet
J W
JW
D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D011407:Propane / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012661:Semen / Q000187:drug effects*; D013076:Sperm Count / Q000187:drug effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D007306:Insecticides; C007318:1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane; D011407:Propane