Objective: To investigate the influence of mycoplasma genitalium (MG) infection on semen parameters and seminal plasma biochemical indicators in infertile men and the relationship of MG infection with male infertility.
Methods: This retrospective study included 420 male patients with idiopathic infertility confirmed in our hospital from February 2016 to February 2018. We examined the MG RNA in the urine of the patients by nucleic acid amplification test, analyzed the semen parameters using the computer-assisted semen analysis system, observed the sperm morphology by modified Shorr staining, and determined the activities of α-glucosidase (α-Glu), fructose (Fru), zinc and γ-L-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) in the seminal plasma.
Results: Of the 420 cases of idiopathic infertility, 101 were MG-positive and the other 319 MG-negative. Compared with the MG-negative patients, the MG-positive group showed a remarkably decreased semen volume (［3.57 ± 1.36］ vs ［3.20 ± 1.30］ ml, P = 0.016) but no statistically significant differences in sperm concentration (［57.36 ± 40.88］ vs ［54.80 ± 36.54］ ×10⁶/ml, P > 0.05), the percentage of progressively motile sperm (［45.33 ± 20.42］% vs ［41.29 ± 18.71］%, P > 0.05) and the percentage of morphologically normal sperm (［5.87 ± 2.97］% vs ［5.67 ± 2.86］%, P > 0.05). Nor were there any significant differences between the MG-negative and -positive groups in the activities of α-Glu (［338.82 ± 126.36］ vs ［352.47 ± 213.34］ U/L, P > 0.05), Fru (［15.62 ± 6.35］ vs ［14.93 ± 6.53］ mmol/L, P > 0.05), zinc (［2.82 ± 1.23］ vs ［2.98 ± 1.30］ mmol/L, P > 0.05), and γ-GT (［1993.98 ± 556.03］ vs ［1925.64 ± 593.41］ U/L, P > 0.05) in the seminal plasma.
Conclusions: MG infection can reduce the semen volume but has no significant influence on the other semen parameters and seminal plasma biochemical indicators in male infertility patients.
Keywords: Mycoplasma genitalium; semen parameters; seminal plasma biochemistry; male infertility.