OBJECTIVESTo evaluate the clinical significance of the detection of IgG and IgM antibodies against Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) in semen of asymptomatic infertile patients.

METHODSOne hundred and sixteen asymptomatic infertile patients and eighteen fertile males were selected randomly. The routine parameter analysis of semen was fulfilled by computer aided semen analysis(CASA). Then the seminal plasma was separated and the IgG, IgM antibodies against CT in seminal plasma were determined with ELISA method.

RESULTSIgG and IgM antibodies against CT were present in 13.8% (16/116) and 3.4% (4/116) of the semen of infertile patients, while for the fertile males the percentages were 11.1% (2/18) and 0, respectively. There were no differences between the two groups(P > 0.05). In the infertile patients, 22 patients were azoospermia. And in the rest 94 infertile patients, the percentages of IgG and IgM antibodies in abnormal sperm density group were 21.4% (6/28) and 7.1% (2/28), which were higher than those in normal group, but there were no statistical differences(P > 0.05). Similarly, the IgG, IgM antibodies were not correlated with the sperm motility(P > 0.05). The positive percentage of CT in 116 patients was 25.9% (30/116).

CONCLUSIONSThe percentages of IgG and IgM antibodies against CT in semen of asymptomatic infertile patients are similar to that in fertile males, which do not correlate with the changes of semen parameters, and may not be used for indication of CT infection.