title: Spermoculture: improvement of the bacteriological quality of samples by direct verbal counseling before semen collection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the bacteriologic quality of samples after direct verbal or written counseling for semen collection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective randomized comparative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Laboratories of biology of reproduction and microbiology in university hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male partners of infertile couples on their first attempt to collect semen were assigned randomly into two groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  In one group (n = 52) the patients were given direct verbal instruction by one of the investigators on how to avoid bacterial contamination during semen collection. In the other group (n = 52) the patients were asked to follow the usual written instructions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bacterial count, number of species, classification of the samples in positive, negative, and noninformative cultures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Direct verbal teaching significantly reduced the bacterial count (2.06 +/- 1.6 versus 3.29 +/- 1.6 log cfu/mL; mean +/- SD) and number of species (1.44 +/- 2.02 versus 3.25 +/- 2.25), increased the percentage of sterile cultures (59.6% versus 23.1%), and decreased the percentage of noninformative cultures (29.9% versus 50%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Direct verbal counseling on how to avoid bacterial contamination during semen collection significantly improves the bacteriologic quality of the samples.
authors.affiliation: Hospices Civils de Lyon, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boucher
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lejeune
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Pinatel
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gille
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012661:Semen / Q000382:microbiology*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*