title: Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma genitalium, and Ureaplasma urealyticum infections and seminal quality in infertile and fertile men in Kuwait.
abstract: This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of Chlamydia  trachomatis, mycoplasmas, and ureaplasmas in semen samples of infertile  compared with fertile men and to evaluate the seminological variables of semen  from infected and noninfected men. A total of 127 infertile and 188 fertile  men seen in a maternity hospital clinic were recruited into the study over a  period of 14 months. Specimens were obtained by masturbation and examined for  the presence of Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis,  Mycoplasma genitalium, and C trachomatis by polymerase chain  reaction. Semen analysis was performed according to World Health Organization  guidelines. U urealyticum, M hominis, M genitalium,  and C trachomatis were demonstrated in the semen samples of 31  (24.4%) vs 49 (26.1%), 22 (17.1%) vs 61 (32.4%), 6 (4.7%) vs 6 (3.2%), and 5  (3.9%) vs 7 (3.7%), respectively, of infertile and control men. Mixed  infections were detected in 14 (11%) of infertile and 29 (15.4%) of fertile  men. The infertile men positive for M hominis had semen samples that  showed statistically significant differences in the mean of sperm pH and  leukocyte count between infected and uninfected men (P < .03 and  P < .001, respectively). Similarly, there was statistically  significant difference in the leukocyte counts of M genitalium and  C trachomatis in infected compared with uninfected men. A similar  trend was noted in infected fertile compared with uninfected men. The  difference in prevalence of these urogenital pathogens among infertile  compared with fertile men was not statistically significant. However, genital  mycoplasmas and chlamydial infections appeared to influence semen quality  negatively.
authors: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, PO Box 24923, Safat 13110, Kuwait. nalsweih@hsc.edu.kw
authors: Noura A
authors: NA
authors: Al-Sweih
authors: Amani H
authors: AH
authors: Al-Fadli
authors: Alexander E
authors: AE
authors: Omu
authors: Vincent O
authors: VO
authors: Rotimi
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D007730:Kuwait / Q000453:epidemiology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D045704:Mycoplasma genitalium; D019535:Mycoplasma hominis; D015995:Prevalence; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology; D055101:Semen Analysis; D016869:Ureaplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D016990:Ureaplasma urealyticum