BACTEROIDES-UREOLYTICUS IN MEN CONSULTING FOR INFERTILITY

A screening of 3196 semen analyses performed in our clinic from Januar y 1986 to December 1990 revealed 314 (9.8%) patients whose semen was i nfected with Bacteroides ureolyticus. Investigating the relationship b etween the presence of B. ureolyticus, the seminal microflora and the conventional semen parameters, we observed that the presence of this m icro-organism in the semen was coupled (1) to an increased presence of Enterococcus species, (2) to an increased number of short-tailed sper matozoa and epithelial cells, and (3) to a decreased total fructose co ncentration (mg ejaculate(-1)). These results suggest that B. ureolyti cus or its toxins may influence sperm morphology and function by yet u nknown mechanisms and may also increase the number of epithelial cells by soft tissue infection in vivo. The decreased fructose levels sugge st that this anaerobic micro-organism might specifically colonize the seminal vesicles, while the normal zinc values recorded suggest a norm al prostatic function. Overall, our data support the hypothesis that t he presence of B. ureolyticus is not associated with nongonococcal ure thritis.