Microbiological profiles of semen culture in male infertility

Abstract

Background: Primary infertility and secondary infertility of men in the reproductive age represent 1.9 and 10.5%, respectively. Many etiological factors are involved, among which urogenital bacterial infections play an important role.Materials and Methods:Semen analysis, bacteriological culture, and sensitivity analyses were carried out to investigate the effect of genitourinary infections on semen parameters of infertile men.Results: Staphylococcus aureus was the most common isolated pathogen (46.2%) followed by urogenic gram-negative pathogens (24.1%). The isolated microorganisms are highly sensitive to piperacillin/tazobactam, imipenem, meropenem, gentamicin, doxycycline, amikacin, and nitrofurantoin. These antibiotics could be used empirically while awaiting the results of semen culture.Conclusion: Semen culture is an important diagnostic tool in all patients undergoing fertility investigations to detect genitourinary infections, pyospermia, and bacteriospermia. Moreover, early treatment should be considered according to the results of culture whenever possible. Wide range of broad-spectrum antibiotics can be used as an empirical treatment for infertile patients to adjust the seminal parameters and reduce the number of leukocytes in semen ejaculates.