Chlamydia trachomatis infection is related to poor semen quality in young prostatitis patients

Symptomatic lower genital tract chlamydial infection has a potential role in the pathogenesis of chronic prostatitis, which affects over 10% of men (mean age: 34.9 years) presenting to Urology out-patients in Italy. The direct cytotoxic effect of C trachomatis on spermatozoa has been demonstrated and there is an association of anti-C trachomatis IgA in semen with anti-sperm antibodies. Also, female partners of subfertile couples have higher serum titres of the heat shock protein (HSP) 60 antibodies, which are postulated to have cross-reactivity with human HSP60. With chlamydial infection rates rising, there is increasing concern about the impact it will have on subfertility.

Researchers in northern Italy investigated the correlation of chronic C trachomatis prostatitits on: 1) semen quality; 2) anti-C trachomatis mucosal IgA titres; 3) anti-C trachomatis against HSP60 and HSP70.

Men, from all over Italy attending a single STI centre in northern Italy, aged between 18 and 45 years were consecutively recruited between May 2001 and May 2002. All patients were investigated as per the European Association of Urology guidelines and met diagnosis criteria for chronic bacterial prostatitis. Exclusions included: any major concomitant illness; known anatomical genito-urinary tract abnormality; documented known subfertility; previous prostate surgery; and post-instrumentation varicocoele. Based on …