title: Asymptomatic Infection With Mycoplasma hominis Negatively Affects Semen Parameters and Leads to Male Infertility as Confirmed by Improved Semen Parameters After Antibiotic Treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate the association between asymptomatic infections caused by Mycoplasma hominis and male infertility and to evaluate the role of antibiotic therapy in the treatment of this failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 165 infertile men having abnormal semen parameters (study group) as well as 165 healthy fertile men (control group) were included in this study. Semen samples were taken from all participants and, after analyzing for semen parameters, real-time polymerase chain reaction, microbial culture, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as total antioxidant capacity (TAC) assays were performed. Infected individuals of the study group were treated with antibiotic. One month after the treatment completion, second semen samples were taken and all the tests mentioned were performed. The data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software, version 22.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of M. hominis was significantly higher in the infertile men compared with the fertile ones (14.5% vs 3.6%, P = .001). The mean cycle threshold (Ct) value was lower in infected infertile men than in infected fertile men (P < .001). All semen parameters, except volume, pH, and viscosity, were improved (P < .05), most of which reached their normal range; leukocytes in seminal fluid were eliminated (P = .04); the level of TAC elevated (P < .001); and the ROS level as well as the ROS-to-TAC ratio reduced after antibiotic treatment (P = .02). Moreover, wives of 14 infected infertile men (58.3%) became pregnant 4 months after the treatment completion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that asymptomatic infection caused by M. hominis is correlated with male infertility and antibiotic therapy can improve the semen quality and fairly treat the male infertility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Akbar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mirsalehian
authors.affiliation: Department of Andrology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; Department of Urology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: ma.sadighi@royaninstitute.org.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sadighi Gilani
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bahador
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Malihe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Talebi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058345:Asymptomatic Infections / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019535:Mycoplasma hominis; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species