Schistosomiasis: a neglected cause of infertility in females and males.

IF 4 3区医学 Q2 INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases Pub Date : 2025-10-01 Epub Date: 2025-07-21 DOI:10.1097/QCO.0000000000001127

Sheridan F Bowers, Friederike Sonnet, Jennifer A Downs

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose of review: Schistosomiasis affects over 250 million individuals worldwide and has been associated with infertility, which can harm the mental, physical, and social well being of individuals. This review aims to summarize the multiple ways in which schistosome infection can affect fertility in females and males, through functional, hormonal, and systemic processes.

Recent findings: Schistosome infection causes functional genital tract damage through granuloma formation and fibrosis, which can lead to organ damage and obstruction in the male and female genital tracts. Hormone imbalances caused by the release of estrogen-like metabolites by schistosome worms can dysregulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and disturb the menstrual cycle, ovulation, and male reproductive function. Systemic and local tissue immunologic changes in response to schistosomes may lower sperm and semen quality, hinder implantation in the uterus, or contribute to early spontaneous abortions.

Summary: Via an array of mechanisms, schistosome infections can impair both female and male fertility. Studies in this neglected area are limited, and further investigation into disease processes and potential therapies for both females and males are greatly needed.

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血吸虫病：女性和男性不孕症的一个被忽视的原因。

综述目的：血吸虫病影响全世界超过2.5亿人，并与不孕症有关，这可能损害个人的精神、身体和社会福祉。本综述旨在总结血吸虫感染通过功能、激素和系统过程影响女性和男性生育能力的多种途径。最近发现：血吸虫感染通过肉芽肿形成和纤维化导致生殖道功能性损伤，可导致男性和女性生殖道器官损伤和阻塞。血吸虫释放雌激素样代谢物引起的激素失衡可使下丘脑-垂体-性腺轴失调，扰乱月经周期、排卵和男性生殖功能。血吸虫引起的全身和局部组织免疫改变可能降低精子和精液质量，阻碍子宫着床，或导致早期自然流产。摘要：血吸虫感染可通过一系列机制损害女性和男性的生育能力。在这一被忽视的领域的研究是有限的，进一步研究疾病的过程和潜在的治疗方法对于女性和男性都是非常需要的。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases 医学-传染病学

CiteScore

6.70

自引率

2.60%

发文量

121

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： This reader-friendly, bimonthly resource provides a powerful, broad-based perspective on the most important advances from throughout the world literature. Featuring renowned guest editors and focusing exclusively on two topics, every issue of Current Opinion in Infectious Disease delivers unvarnished, expert assessments of developments from the previous year. Insightful editorials and on-the-mark invited reviews cover key subjects such as HIV infection and AIDS; skin and soft tissue infections; respiratory infections; paediatric and neonatal infections; gastrointestinal infections; tropical and travel-associated diseases; and antimicrobial agents.