ANTIBODIES TO CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS IN SEMEN AND RELATIONSHIP WITH PARAMETERS OF MALE-FERTILITY

To screen for infection with Chlamydia trachomatis in semen samples fr om asymptomatic men in couples consulting for infertility and to deter mine the relationship of seminal chlamydial antibodies with clinically relevant parameters of male fertility, 197 randomly chosen patients w ere enrolled in a prospective study, The median duration of infertilit y was 4 years (range 1-18), Screening for C. trachomatis and chlamydia l antibodies of the immunoglobulin (Ig) A and IgG classes was performe d in ejaculates and, in parallel, endocervical material from the partn ers of the patients and serum samples from both partners were evaluate d, A comprehensive examination of semen quality included sperm analyse s, semen cultures, local antisperm antibody (ASA) testing, the determi nation of potential infection markers, and sperm-cervical mucus intera ction testing in vitro (SCMPT) and in vivo (post-coital testing), Chla mydial IgA antibodies were found in the semen samples of 18.8% (37/197 ) of the patients, while chlamydial IgG antibodies were found in 8.1% (16/197) of the patients, Screening for C. trachomatis was negative in all semen and cervical specimens, Only 5.5% of men remembered a past genital infection, Chlamydial antibodies (IgA/IgG) in semen were signi ficantly correlated with chlamydial IgG antibodies in serum samples (P < 0.001), No marked relationship was found between the presence of se minal chlamydial antibodies and the major parameters of sperm analysis , semen cultures, local ASA and sperm penetration testing as an indica tor of functional capacity, Seminal chlamydial antibodies were not sig nificantly associated with potential infection or inflammation markers in aliquots of the same ejaculates, However a significant relationshi p of chlamydial antibodies in patients' semen with past genital infect ions of their female partners was found with clinical relevance for a tubal infertility factor, The results indicate that in asymptomatic pa tients the presence of chlamydial antibody IgA or IgG in semen is not associated with reduced semen quality; potential seminal infection mar kers or impaired functional capacity as important determinants of male fertility; however, seminal chlamydial antibodies suggesting a previo us sexually transmitted disease are significantly related to a tubal i nfertility factor of female partners.