Background and Objective: Infertility is an increasing problem worldwide, and earlier bacterial infections are unrecognized but potentially modifiable risk factors. Their impact on sperm health must be understood to create targeted therapies. This study aimed to investigate the role of bacterial infection in male infertility.
Methods: Seminal fluid samples were obtained from 64 male individuals who attended the Infertility and IVF Treatment Center in Al-Kafeel Hospital, Karbala. All samples were assessed for the sperm parameters, DNA fragmentation, and bacterial infection.
Results: Among 64 infertile men, 31 (48%) had positive bacterial culture of various species. The highest percentage was among Gram-positive bacteria (51.6%). Sperm progressive motility and morphology showed a significant association with bacterial infection, P (0.005, 0.002, 0.029), respectively. Furthermore, a substantial risk of sperm DNA fragmentation was seen in contaminated semen samples (P=0.006). According to the analysis of the effect of each bacterial species on sperm characteristics, the results showed that Enterobacter spp. had the greatest effect on sperm immobilization, while coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) showed a high rate of abnormal morphology and DNA fragmentation, indicating their severe impact on sperm morphology and DNA.
Conclusion: These findings underscore the need for early detection and targeted antimicrobial strategies to reduce the adverse effects of infections on male reproductive health and fertility, specifically Enterobacter spp. and CoNS Further investigation is necessary to explore the potential treatment options and improve the reproductive outcomes in affected individuals.