Semen

About: Semen is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 14571 publications have been published within this topic receiving 407739 citations. The topic is also known as: come & ejaculate.

Association between sperm cell chromatin condensation, morphology based on strict criteria, and fertilization, cleavage and pregnancy rates in an IVF program.

Abstract: In this study, a total of 95 ejaculates from infertile patients were investigated morphologically according to Kruger's strict criteria and 78 of the 95 ejaculates were stained for chromatin condensation with acidic aniline blue. Patients were divided into two groups based on the percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa as follows: Men with normal sperm morphology 14% (Group 2). The relationship between percentage of normal sperm morphology and fertilization, cleavage and pregnancy rate was analysed. The rates were 33.7%, 57.1% and 0.0% respectively, in the first group. The corresponding values for the second group were 76.1%, 68.2% and 32.1%. The fertilization and pregnancy rates correlate significantly with morphologically normal spermatozoa. In regard to the percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa stained with aniline blue, patients were divided into two groups: patients with 0-20% stained spermatozoa (Group I) and those with > 20% (Group 2). Fertilization and pregnancy rates were higher in the first group than in the second group (79.9%, 52.8% vs. 58.8%, 29.5%). The results demonstrate that chromatin condensation visualized by aniline blue staining is a good predictor for IVF outcome and should be considered besides morphology by sperm assessment for patients undergoing IVF treatment.

Detection and biologic characterization of infectious HIV-1 in semen of seropositive men

Abstract: OBJECTIVE Factors that influence the infectivity of an individual and the impact of antiviral treatment on infectivity are not well defined. This study investigated the value of a sensitive method for detecting infectious HIV in semen for use as a marker for infectivity. DESIGN A cross-sectional study of infectious HIV in the semen of 33 HIV-positive men. METHODS A sensitive method for detecting infectious HIV in semen was used. The correlation of culture in semen with clinical and laboratory data was investigated. Biological phenotypes of isolates from blood and semen were tested using an MT-2 assay. RESULTS HIV cultures from seminal cells were positive in 18 patients (55%) and in one patient from seminal plasma. Higher recovery rates of HIV from semen correlated with a low CD4 count (80% in patients with a CD4 count > 100 x 10(6)/l versus 33% in patients with a CD4 count < 100 x 10(6) cells; P < 0.025) and symptomatic disease (78 versus 27% in asymptomatic patients; P < 0.01). Recovery of HIV from semen was independent of presence or absence of plasma viremia and the biological phenotype of blood isolates. Ten patients with syncytium-inducing (SI) isolates in their blood had positive semen cultures for HIV. Seven of the 10 patients had SI isolates recovered from their semen, whereas three had non-SI isolates only. CONCLUSION Data from partner studies show higher rates of HIV transmission for patients with low CD4 counts and symptomatic disease. The compatibility of epidemiologic data with our finding that significantly more HIV is recovered in semen from patients with advanced disease, suggests that HIV culture of semen samples may provide a useful surrogate marker to measure infectivity in clinical studies. Further studies are needed to define the inoculum required to transmit HIV and to study the impact of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV-1 phenotype on semen infectivity.

Bovine herpesvirus 1 in semen of bulls and the risk of transmission: A brief review

Abstract: Outbreaks of bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV1) infections in artificial insemination centres can run a clinical or subclinical course. Clinical signs vary from mild to severe balanoposthitis and may be associated with a decrease in semen quality. After intranasal as well as intrapreputial infection, BHV1 can replicate in the preputial and penile mucosae, although the pattern of virus shedding in semen differs considerably per individual bull. Beyond the primary phase of a genital infection, BHV1 remains latent in sacral ganglia, and consequently a protracted course of intermittent virus excretion may follow. The seminal plasma rather than the sperm cells contains the BHV1. Diluting the semen before inoculating cell cultures appears to be the best method to neutralize its toxic activity and to achieve optimal virus isolation results. Detection of BHV1 in semen by polymerase chain reaction seems to be more sensitive than virus isolation. Not each extended semen straw contains virus when the virus titre in the ejaculate is low. The minimal dose to infect a cow by artificial insemination may be more than 32 infectious virus particles. Such an infection may lead to fertility disturbances, mainly endometritis. The risk of transmitting BHV1 to inseminated cows by using BHV1-seropositive bulls for artificial insemination is substantially reduced if two straws per semen batch are assayed for virus and if each positive batch is destroyed.

Testicular biopsy: its value in male sterility

Abstract: The ever increasing interest in the study of male infertility has stimulated investigation of spermatozoal physiology, semen abnormalities and the pituitary-gonadal relationship, but the microscopic study of testicular tissue, accessible as it is, has been neglected. An important step in this direction was made by Huhner 1 in 1913, who advocated testicular aspiration as a diagnostic measure in instances of azoospermia. In the performance of this test, recovery of spermatozoa in the testicular aspirate connotes active spermatogenesis despite the absence of spermatozoa from the semen and indicates, by inference, the presence of obstruction in the seminal tract. While this procedure represents a step forward in the study of testicular spermatogenic function, it has its limitations. Irrespective of the caliber of the needle employed for the aspiration, it often happens that no secretion is obtained. Moreover, the specimen of testicular secretion may be devoid of spermatozoa only because the particular seminiferous