Chlamydia trachomatis
infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. Sperm-associated antibody could impair fertility through various mechanisms; both factors could be correlated to affect the fertility status of women.
Design:
A retrospective case-control study was performed enrolling ninety (n=90) patients with primary or secondary infertility as the case group, in addition to another eighty (n=80) healthy women attending the family planning clinic to investigate the correlation between
C. trachomatis past and current infections and antisperm antibodies (ASA) in women with unexplained infertility.
Results:
The PCR prevalence of
C. trachomatis didn't differ significantly among both groups (2.4 versus 1.6%, P value=0.66). In contrast, significantly higher prevalence of anti-
C. trachomatis specific IgG (39% versus 19%, P value=0.87) antibodies were found among infertile women. ASA prevalence was significantly higher in infertile group ( 20 % versus 5%, P=0.04 ). The final study results have failed to find a positive correlation between current or past
C. trachomatis infection and the level of antisperm antibodies level in women suffering of unexplained infertility.
Conclusion:
Anti-sperm antibodies were significantly higher in infertile women, but without a significant difference between the incidences of ASA in infertile women with past or current
C. trachomatis current infection. (Afr J Reprod Health 2011; 15[3]: 101-112).