[Survey of infection of Toxoplasma gondii in infertile couples in Suzhou countryside].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the level of anti-Toxoplasma antibody in serum of infertile couples to explore the relationship between toxoplasma infection and infertility.


METHODS
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was applied to detect the anti-Toxoplasma antibody, antisperm antibody (AsAb) and anticardiolipin antibody (ACA) in serum of 178 couples with infertility and 190 couples who had normal pregnant history.


RESULTS
The positive result of Toxoplasma infection in the infertile couples was significantly higher than that in fertile couples which was 34.83% vs 12.11% (chi 2 = 26.72, P < 0.01) with the odds ratio 3.88. The positive result of serum AsAb in the Toxoplasma infected group was significantly higher than that in the no Toxoplasma infected group (32.50% vs 15.94%, chi 2 = 10.76, P < 0.01) with the odds ratio 2.54.


CONCLUSIONS
Toxoplasma infection was related to infertility. The Toxoplasma infection and was posibly related to the antisperm antibodies which can be involved in the pathogenisis of infertility.
Zhou
Yong-Hua
YH
Jiangsu Provincial Institute of Parasitic Disease, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214064, China.
Lu
Yong-Juan
YJ
Wang
Rui-Bing
RB
Song
La-Mei
LM
Shi
Fang
F
Gao
Qing-Feng
QF
Luo
Ya-Fang
YF
Gu
Xing-Feng
XF
Wang
Pei
P
D000818:Animals; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D014122:Toxoplasma; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*