PROSTATITIS AND MALE-INFERTILITY - PILOT-STUDY - POSSIBLE INCREASE IN SPERM MOTILITY WITH ANTIBACTERIAL CHEMOTHERAPY

The cytology and bacteriology of urethral urine specimens and expressed prostatic secretions were examined in 24 infertile men suspected of having chronic prostatitis. Lencocytes were found and commensal bacteria cultured from most subjects but these were unrelated to clinical features, seminal characteristics or the outcome of treatment. Infection with pathogenic bacteria was not found in any subject. Despite this, there was a significant increase in sperm motility after antibacterial treatment, principally with erythromycin or cotrimoxazole, and three pregnancies coincided with the improvement. It is concluded that antibacterial therapy may improve fertility in patients with low sperm motility, but more investigation is necessary before the role of genital tract infection in male infertility can be placed in its proper perspective. Copyright © 1979, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved