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  • Title: Chlamydia trachomatis and male infertility: chlamydia-IgA antibodies in seminal plasma are C. trachomatis specific and associated with an inflammatory response.
    Author: Ochsendorf FR, Ozdemir K, Rabenau H, Fenner T, Oremek R, Milbradt R, Doerr HW.
    Journal: J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol; 1999 Mar; 12(2):143-52. PubMed ID: 10343944.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: There is controversy over the role of asymptomatic genital tract infection by Chlamydia trachomatis, its optimal diagnosis, and its place in the etiology of male infertility. OBJECTIVE: Comparison of direct detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in semen with the presence of chlamydia-antibodies in seminal plasma and serum, together with parameters of the spermatogram, in men of infertile relationships. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. SETTING: University hospital tertiary referral center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Two groups of consecutive andrological patients (n = 89 and n = 36) were investigated as follows: semen analysis, including concentration of granulocyte-elastase; detection of C. trachomatis in semen samples and first void urine by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and antigen-ELISA (Celisa); detection of chlamydia antibodies in serum and seminal plasma by recombinant antibody-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (rELISA) and of Chlamydia trachomatis specific antibodies by the ImmunoComb-Chlamydia-Bivalent test. RESULTS: In 2/125 (1.6%) semen samples Chlamydia trachomatis DNA was detected by PCR. Genus specific anti-chlamydia-IgA was found in 12/122 (9%) of the seminal plasmas. This IgA appeared to be specific for C. trachomatis. Seminal plasmas with chlamydia-IgA antibodies showed higher PMN-elastase levels than IgA negative samples (P < 0.04). Chlamydia-IgG antibodies were present in 27/89 (30%) of the sera, but in only five of these 27 sera (19%) were the antibodies detected specific for C. trachomatis. There were no associations between any of these variables and the parameters of the routine semen analysis. CONCLUSION: IgA-chlamydial antibodies in seminal plasma appeared to be specific against C. trachomatis and were associated with an inflammatory response in the male genital tract.
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