International Journal of STD & AIDS > Volume 20, Number 6 > Pp. 387-390

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Google Scholar Articles by Zeighami, H Articles by Sorouri, R PubMed PubMed Citation Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

Original research articles

Prevalence of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum in semen of infertile and healthy men

H Zeighami PhD ^* , S N Peerayeh PhD , R S Yazdi MLD  and R Sorouri PhD ^*

^* Department of Microbiology, School of Medical Science, Zanjan Medical University, Zanjan; Department of Microbiology, School of Medical Science, Tarbiat Modares University; Research Center of Infertility, Royan Institute, Tehran, I.R. Iran

Correspondence to: Dr H Zeighami Email: habib.59{at}gmail.com

Ureaplasma urealyticum is a causative agent of non-gonococcal urethritis and is implicated in the pathogenesis of prostatitis, epididymitis and infertility. The organism is more common in partners of infertile than fertile marriages. U. urealyticum infections not only jeopardize fertility but also pose a risk for infertility treatment and resulting pregnancies. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of U. urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum in semen of infertile and healthy men by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Semen samples were obtained from infertile patients and healthy controls and were subjected to the routine andrological analysis and PCR. DNA was extracted by the Cadieux method, and analysed by PCR protocol with specific primers for urease and multiple-banded antigen genes. Ureaplasmas were detected significantly by PCR in 12 of 100 (12%) semen specimens from infertile patients and in three of 100 (3%) healthy men. The volume of semen fluid, concentration of sperm cells, and sperm cell with normal morphology were significantly decreased in infertile men. In the group of infertile patients with PCR positive for Ureaplasmas, the volume, count and morphology of semen samples were lower than in the infertile patients with PCR-negative results. U. urealyticum species in semen of infertile men was found to be high (9%) than in healthy controls (1%). Detection rate for U. parvum was 3% in the infertile group and 2% in healthy men. The results indicate that U. urealyticum species is more common in specimens of infertile men. The percentage of normal sperm cells, the volume of semen and the percentage of sperm cells with motility in the PCR positive for U. urealyticum species group were lower than in the PCR positive for U. parvum group.

Key Words: Ureaplasma urealyticum • Ureaplasma parvum • semen • infertility • PCR

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D Taylor-Robinson Effect of ureaplasmas on male fertility: a continuing enigma Int J STD AIDS, September 1, 2009; 20(9): 668 - 668. [Full Text] [PDF]