title: [Impact of male reproductive tract infection on semen quality].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association of male reproductive tract infection (RTI) with semen parameters and sperm DNA damage.
  
  
  METHODS
  We classified 1 084 males attending the infertility clinic into an RTI group (n = 300) and a non-RTI control group (n = 784). According to the WHO standards, we obtained routine semen parameters, detected sperm morphology, and determined the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) by sperm chromatin structure assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were statistically significant differences between the RTI and control groups in the semen volume ( [2.58 ± 1.20] vs [3.00 ± 2.10] ml), grade a + b sperm ([50.6 ± 17.2] vs [53.2 ± 15.8]%), grade d sperm ( [39. 8 ± 17.8] vs [36.5 ± 16.2]%), and total sperm count ([218.5 ± 185.0 ] vs [278.5 ± 375.5 ] x 10(6)/ejaculate) (all P < 0.05), but not in the males' age, sperm concentration or pH value (P > 0.05). The percentage of morphologically normal sperm was significantly lower ([3.46 ± 2.90] vs [4.61 ± 3.60%, P < 0.05) but the DFI was markedly higher in the RTI group than in the control ([19.4 ± 11.4] vs [15.2 ± 8.8]% , P < 0.01). The percentage of the cases with DFI > 30% was remarkably higher (13.0 vs 5.74% ) while that of the cases with DFI < 10% dramatically lower in the former than in the latter (16.0 vs 28.0%). The level of seminal plasma elastase was correlated negatively to sperm concentration, sperm count, and the percentage of morphologically normal sperm (P < 0.05) but positively to DFI and grade d sperm (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Male reproductive tract infection not only affects semen parameters and sperm morphology but also causes serious sperm DNA damage.
authors.forename: Yong-gen
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jiu-jia
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Xue-feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D060737:Reproductive Tract Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013076:Sperm Count; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000473:pathology