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Antisperm antibodies in infertile men and their correlation with seminal parameters

  • Original Article
  • Infertility Treatment
  • Published:
Reproductive Medicine and Biology

Abstract

Aim

Antisperm antibodies (ASA) in males cause the autoimmune disease ‘immune infertility’. The present study intended to detect the presence of ASA and their incidence in men with unexplained infertility, as well as to evaluate the correlation between the presence of ASA and semen parameter alterations.

Methods

Blood and sperm assessment were collected to carry out a direct and indirect mixed antiglobulin reaction (MAR) test and semen analysis in infertile and fertile men from the University Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine, Sao Paulo State University, Sao Paulo.

Results

In the MAR test, 18.18% of infertile men were positive for ASA. In fertile men, no positivity was found. A significant correlation between the presence of ASA with an increased white blood cell count plus a decreased hypoosmotic swelling test result was observed.

Conclusions

The results indicate that ASA are involved in reduced fertility. It is not ASA detectionper se that provides conclusive information about the occurrence of damage to fertility. The correlation between infertility and altered seminal parameters reinforce the ASA participation in this pathology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Bioscience, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), 18618-000, Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Patricia C. Garcia & Oduvaldo C. M. Pereira

  2. Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Eliana M. Rubio

Authors
  1. Patricia C. Garcia
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  2. Eliana M. Rubio
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  3. Oduvaldo C. M. Pereira
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Oduvaldo C. M. Pereira.

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Garcia, P.C., Rubio, E.M. & Pereira, O.C.M. Antisperm antibodies in infertile men and their correlation with seminal parameters. Reprod Med Biol 6, 33–38 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0578.2007.00162.x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0578.2007.00162.x

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