Semen analysis before and after antibiotic treatment of asymptomatic Chlamydia- and Ureaplasma-related pyospermia

Abstract

Pyospermia is the abnormally high concentration of white blood cells in human ejaculate, as caused by a bacterial infection. This study addresses the evaluation of the use of an antibiotic treatment in infertile patients who show asymptomatic pyospermia through the monitoring of semen analysis parameters. The study was carried out on 60 infertile patients who were diagnosed with asymptomatic genital infections, focused on pyospermia caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and Ureaplasma urealyticum. The volume of the ejaculate, pH, sperm concentration and progressive motility, as well as the viability of the spermatozoa and their morphology, were all observed before therapy, 10 and 30 days after. Patients were treated with antibiotics in accordance with the recommendations given by the European Urology Association. The results showed a clear effect of antibiotic therapy on the volume and pH of the seminal fluid; moreover, only 30 days after completion of the therapy sperm concentration itself significantly increased, and progressive motility greatly improved, albeit slowly. However, it must be noted that the antibiotic therapy had no significant effect on the viability of the spermatozoa within 30 days of beginning the treatment.

Keywords: Antibiotic; asymptomatic infection; chlamydia; pyospermia; ureaplasma.