• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.31-34
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• 2004

White blood cells (WBCs) are present in most human ejaculates, but abnormally high concentration of seminal leukocytes may reflect an underlying pathological condition. The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined leukocytospermia as status of more than $10^6$ WBC/mL of semen. The purpose of this study was firstly, to compare the outcomes between conventional IVF and ICSI in leukocytospermia, and secondly, to investigate whether ICSI may be an alternation treatment for patients with leukocytospermia. Total 346 cycles of conventional IVF and ICSI candidates underwent IVF cycles at Eulji Hospital Infertility Clinic. Semen Parameters including concentration, motility, morphology of spermatozoa and concentration of leukocytes were assessed from the raw ejaculates. There was no difference in sperm concentration, motility and morphology. The rates of fertilization and good embryo development from ICSI were significantly higher than those from conventional IVF in leukocytospermia (60.4% ＆ 32.5%, respectively for ICSI group and 44.4% ＆ 28.5%, respectively for IVF group, P<0.00l). The pregnancy rate after ICSI was also higher than that from conventional IVF (34.0% vs 29.1 %, P<0.05). These results indicate that the presence of seminal leukocyes (> 1$\times10^6$ WBC/mL of semen) is adversely related with fertilization, embryo development and pregnancy rate. Therfore the measurement of seminal leukocytes in routine semen analysis appears to be of prognostic value with regard to male fertilizing potential. In conclusion, it is suggested that ICSI is an alternative choice of treatment for patients with leukocytospermia.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.245-249
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• 1998

White blood cells (WBCs) are present in most human ejaculates, but abnormally high concentration of seminal leukocytes may reflect an underlying pathological condition. The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined leukocytospermia as status of more than $10^6$ WBC/mL of semen. The purpose of this study was firstly, to compare the outcomes between conventional IVF and ICSI in leukocytospermia, and secondly, to investigate whether ICSI may be an alternative treatment for patients with leukocytospermia. Total 121 cycles of conventional IVF and ICSI candidates underwent IVF cycles at PL Infertility Clinic. Semen Parameters including concentration, motility, morphology of spermatozoa and concentration of leukocytes were assessed from the raw ejaculates. There was no difference in sperm concentration, motility and morphology. The rates of fertilization and good embryo development from ICSI were significantly higher than those from conventional IVF in leukocytospermia (63.9% & 48.6%, respectively for ICSI group and 33.4% & 24.1%, respectively for IVF group, p<0.001). The pregnancy rate after ICSI was also higher than that from conventional IVF (34.3% vs 21.6%, p<0.05). These results indicate that the presence of seminal leukocytes ($>1\times10^6$ WBC/mL of semen) is adversely related with fertilization, embryo development and pregnancy rate. Therefore the measurement of seminal leukocytes in routine semen analysis appears to be of prognostic value with regard to male fertilizing potential. In conclusion, it is suggested that ICSI is an alternative choice of treatment for patients with leukocytospermia.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.587-593
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• 2021

Infertility is a key issue affecting mood and behavior in men. Microorganisms are one of the primary etiological agents that may be associated with infertility. The objective of the present study was to identify bacterial causative agents from the semen of infertile subjects and determine the effect of bacterial infection on sperm quality, as well as determine the susceptibility of these bacteria to drugs. Forty semen samples from 30 infertile patients and 10 fertile individuals were collected. The pH, volume, motility, and concentration of semen were analyzed. The samples were processed and identified by biochemical testing using API identification kits. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern was determined using the disc diffusion method. Abnormal sperm quality was observed. The mean age of the individual and their sperm morphology, concentration, progressive motility, pH level, and pus cell content were 31.9 years, 2.7%, 10.4 million/ml, 27.3%, 8.3, and 5.7, respectively. Among the tested samples, oligoasthenozoospermia was found to show the highest occurrence, at 27/30 samples, followed by teratozoospermia, at 25/30 samples, and asthenozoospermia, at 22/30 samples. Of the tested infertile patients' sperm, 19, 6, and 5 isolates were identified as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Staphylococcus epidermidis, respectively. The results also revealed multi-drug resistance in the bacteria. Compared to that shown by the other tested antibiotics, amikacin showed higher activity against all isolated bacteria. However, the bacteria exhibited maximum resistance against gentamicin, cefotaxime, levofloxacin, and ampicillin. In conclusion, leukocytospermia and bacterial infections are possibly responsible for sperm abnormalities. Multi-drug resistant bacteria were detected. Gentamicin, cefotaxime, levofloxacin and ampicillin were shown the highest resistance, while amikacin was the most effective antimicrobial agent against the isolated bacteria.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.203-213
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• 2000

To investigate the effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on capacitation, acrosome reaction in human spermatozoa. Human spermatozoa were incubated with xanthine-xanthine oxidase (X-XO), $H_2O$$_2$, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) or lymphocyte. Otherwise, spermatozoa were incubated under low $O_2$ (5 ％) condition. Chlortetracycline (CTC) staining was conducted to assess capacitation and acrosome reaction. Analysis of lipid peroxidation was done by spectrophotometric determination of malondialdehyde (MDA) production in spermatozoa. $H_2O$$_2$, X-XO, SNP and lymphocyte treatment significantly increased capacitated spermatozoa within 1 h of incubation. There was no significant difference in capacitation between low- and high $O_2$ groups. In the presence of low concentration of $H_2O$$_2$, lipid peroxidation decreased significantly. However, under the high concentration of $H_2O$$_2$, lipid peroxidation significantly increased at the end of incubation compared to control. In the presence of high concentration of lymphocytes, lipid peroxidation significantly increased compared to control at 1hr of incubation. There was no significant difference in lipid peroxidation according to $O_2$ concentration examined. Acrosome reaction (AR) was evaluated by CTC staining after the progesterone challenge. In all ROS groups, AR increased compared to control. The X(100 $\mu$M) - XO (100mIU) system was the most potent to induce AR. Taken together, it suggested positive control of AR by ROS and the positive relationship between the lipid peroxidation and AR. The early onset of capacitation in the presence of ROS suggest that ROS might be a positive regulator of sperm capacitation and hyperactivation.