Decreased semen quality in a male infected with malaria.
A 33-year-old male of proven fertility suffered six attacks of malaria while resident in an African country. For this he received anti-malarial drugs. Semen analysis performed after the fourth attack, and repeated during the following 2 years after his return to Israel, revealed severe oligozoospermia, necrozoospermia and occasionally even azoospermia. Immunological examination of the patient revealed an inverse ratio of T-cell subsets and mast cell degranulation in response to palludrin. Twenty-five months after the last attack of malaria a significant improvement was found in semen quality and there was an increase in the ratio of T-helper to T-suppressor cytotoxic cells. These observations indicate that although malaria and its treatment may affect spermatogenesis, recovery may be expected eventually.
D000328:Adult; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000009:adverse effects; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D007557:Israel; D008288:Malaria / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000139:chemically induced; D012661:Semen / Q000032:analysis*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology
D000962:Antimalarials