Male fertility and positive Chlamydial serology. A study of 61 fertile and 82 subfertile men

Abstract

In this study, the frequency and titers of serum antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis in fertile and subfertile subjects and possible correlations between a positive serology and the values of conventional semen parameters were investigated. The subfertile subjects were divided into those without and those with a history of genitourinary infection. No difference was noted between the proportion of seropositive patients in the fertile group (26.2%) as compared with those in the subfertile group with no history of genitourinary infection (27.7%). The percentage of positive tests was significantly increased only in the subfertile group with past genitourinary infection (53.5%). No difference was found between the antibody titers of the fertile and subfertile groups. Only the fertile group had any semen parameter, namely, the volume of the ejaculate, that was significantly different between the seropositive and seronegative patients. In conclusion, three main points should be stressed; the high frequency of serum antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis in the control subjects and the apparent absence of effects of a positive serology on their fertility; the significant correlation between a past genitourinary infection and the presence of serum antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis; and the need for a test to assess Chlamydia in semen.