The Effect of Asymptomatic Bacteriospermia on Semen Quality among Infertile Men Referred to Infertility Clinics in Kerman

Background: Semen analysis is considered as an important tool in infertility assessment process. One of the reasons implicated for altered semen quality, is bacteriospermia. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of bacteriospermia in seminal fluid and its effect on semen characteristics of infertile men attending infertility clinics in Kerman. Methods: Totally, 200 fertile and infertile men were investigated. Spermiogram, culture, isolation and identification were conducted according to WHO guideline and standard bacteriological methods. Results: Semen parameters including sperm motility, sperm count, sperm morphology, sperm viability and the percentage of round cells in seminal fluid, showed significant difference between fertile and infertile groups. Also, in infertile men, abnormal sperm morphology was significantly higher among oligospermic specimens than normospermic ones. Bacteriospermia was found in 10% of infertile men and Staphylococcus aureus was the most common organism which was mostly isolated from teratozoospermic and asthenozoospermic specimens, however this finding was not statistically significant. Totally, asymptomatic bacteriospermia did not show any association with either infertility or abnormal semen parameters. Conclusion: Other bacterial/ non- bacterial agents or even factors other than infectious agents, may affect semen quality. However, to determine the exact role of bacteriospermia in infertility, further studies as well as evaluation of the outcome of bacteriospermia treatment, especially in those infected with S. aureus, are required.