Relevance of leukocytospermia and semen culture and its true place in diagnosing and treating male infertility
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The current WHO 2010 manual for human semen analysis defines leukocytospermia as the presence of peroxidase-positive leukocytes at a concentration >1×106/mL of semen. Granular leukocytes when activated are capable of generating high levels of reactive oxygen species in semen resulting in oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been correlated with poor sperm quality, increased level of sperm DNA fragmentation and low fertility potential. The presence of leukocytes and pathogens in the semen may be a sign of infection and/or localized inflammatory response in the male genital tract and the accessory glands. Common uro-pathogens including Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma hominis, and Escherichia coli can cause epididymitis, epididymo-orchitis, or prostatitis. The relationship between leukocytospermia and infection is unclear. Therefore, we describe the pathogens responsible for male genital tract infections and their association with leukocytospermia. The review also examines the diagnostic tests available to identify seminal leukocytes. The role of leukocytospermia in male infertility and its management is also discussed.
Date Issued
2021-06-09
Date Acceptance
2021-04-21
Citation
World Journal of Mens Health, 2021, 40 (2), pp.191-207
ISSN
2287-4208
Publisher
Korean Society for Sexual Medicine and Andrology
Start Page
191
End Page
207
Journal / Book Title
World Journal of Mens Health
Volume
40
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2022 Korean Society for Sexual Medicine and Andrology. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
License URL
Identifier
https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000705027900001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Andrology
Health Care Sciences & Services
Urology & Nephrology
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Culture
Endtz
Infections
Inflammation
Leukocytes
Spermatozoa
CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS INFECTION
ACCESSORY-GLAND INFECTION
SPERM DNA FRAGMENTATION
GENITAL-TRACT INFECTION
IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION
WHITE BLOOD-CELLS
OXIDATIVE STRESS
UREAPLASMA-UREALYTICUM
MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES
GRANULOCYTE ELASTASE
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2021-06-09