GENITAL UREAPLASMA-UREALYTICUM INFECTION IN VARICOCELE-RELATED INFERTILITY

Objective To assess the existence of a possible infectious factor in v aricocele-related infertility. Methods A total of 925 seminal plasmas from 590 infertile men with varicocele and 335 infertile patients with out palpable varicocele were cultured for Ureaplasma urealyticum infec tion, and routine semen analysis was made. Results The infection rate of Ureaplasma urealyticum in seminal plasmas was 48. 22%. The asymptom atic genital infection of Ureaplasma urealyticum was traced in 329 (55 . 76%) varicocele men and 117 (34. 93%) infertile patients without var icocele (control group). A significant quantitative difference in the incidence of genital Ureaplasma urealyticum infection between the vari cocele and control group was observed (P<0. 005) and asthenozoospermia was significantly more prevalent in the patients with varicocele than in the other patients (P<0. 05). Conclusions Genital Ureaplasma ureal yticum infection may play a role in varicocele-related infertility. To prevent future infertility, men with both varicocele and genital Urea plasma urealyticum infection may benefit from early evaluation and tre atment.