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Microorganisms in Semen

  • Chapter
Instrumental Insemination

Part of the book series: Clinics in Andrology ((CLAN,volume 8))

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Abstract

Micro-organisms have long been recognized as being associated with infertility. Research in this field between 1930 and 1970 was not prolific, but set the stage for the abundance of research performed since 1970. Certain strains of bacteria produce sperm agglutination (Rosenthal, 1931). Experiments were performed which grew spermicidal bacteria in women with long-standing infertility (Matthews and Buxton, 1951), and treatment of these individuals demonstrated marked improvement in their fertility rate (Buxton and Wong, 1952). Routine examination on semen ejaculates of males from infertile couples and those of routine artifical insemination specimens demonstrated that 50% of 375 samples were contaminated by bacteria and 50% were sterile (Wu, 1957); of those contaminated, 44% cultured a spermicidal bacteria. Bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus hemolyticus and viridans, and E. coli are highly spermicidal; but other organisms such as Micrococcus, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus albus, Diphtheroid, and non-hemolytic Streptococcus are also slightly spermicidal when the concentrations of these organisms reach certain levels.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 4801 Kenmore Avenue, Alexandria, VA, 22304, USA

    Dr. J. D. Paulson

Authors
  1. Dr. J. D. Paulson
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  2. S. Leto
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  3. F. Frenselli
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, 48201, USA

    E. S. E. Hafez

  2. Kiel, Germany

    K. Semm

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© 1982 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, The Hague

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Paulson, J.D., Leto, S., Frenselli, F. (1982). Microorganisms in Semen. In: Hafez, E.S.E., Semm, K. (eds) Instrumental Insemination. Clinics in Andrology, vol 8. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7467-8_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7467-8_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-009-7469-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-7467-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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