Abstract
BackgroundThe colonization of Ureaplasma species in genital tract is related with male infertility. However, it has been postulated based upon limited study that virulence is related to serotype specificity. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of Ureaplasma serovars in genital tract of infertile males and analyze their role in male infertility.MethodsA total of 358 urethral swabs samples were obtained from infertile males. The culture of Ureaplasma species were performed using a commercially available Mycoplasma IST 2 kit. Serovars were determined by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (real‐time PCR).ResultsA total of 92 (25.7%) infertile males were positive for Ureaplasma spp; among them, Ureaplasma parvum (UPA) was detected in 73 (79.3%) isolates, and Ureaplasma urealyticum (UUR) was detected in 19 (20.7%) isolates. Serovars 1, 6, or in combination accounted for 63.0% (46/73) of UPA isolates. Serovar 9 (alone and in combination of other serovars) was the most common serovar in UUR (47.4%, 9/19). Multiple serovars were detected in 21 (22.8%) isolates, and serovars 4, 5, 7, and 12 were not detected in any sample.ConclusionThe distribution of 14 Ureaplasma serovars in genital tract of infertile males was identified for the first time by real‐time PCR assay. UPA serovars 1 and 6, and UUR serovar 9 are the most common serovars colonization in urogenital tract of infertile males.
Highlights
Ureaplasma species belong to the class Mollicutes, bacteria that lack a cell wall, and have been known for decades to colonize the human urogenital tract
There are two species that exist in humans, Ureaplasma parvum (UPA) contains serovars 1, 3, 6, and 14 and Abbreviations: real‐time PCR, Real‐time polymerase chain reaction; UPA, Ureaplasma parvum; UUR, Ureaplasma urealyticum
The 14 reference strains of the Ureaplasma spp. serovars were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), described as follows: ATCC 27813 (UPA serovar 1), ATCC 27814 (UUR serovar 2), ATCC 27815 (UPA serovar 3), ATCC 27816 (UUR serovar 4), ATCC 27817 (UUR serovar 5), ATCC 27818 (UPA serovar 6), ATCC 27819 (UUR serovar 7), ATCC 27618 (UUR serovar 8), ATCC 33175 (UUR serovar 9), ATCC 33699 (UUR serovar 10), ATCC 33695 (UUR serovar 11), ATCC 33696 (UUR serovar 12), ATCC 33698 (UUR serovar 13), and ATCC 33697 (UPA serovar 14).UPA and UUR were used as the quality controls in species‐specific PCR assays
Summary
Ureaplasma species belong to the class Mollicutes, bacteria that lack a cell wall, and have been known for decades to colonize the human urogenital tract. There are two species that exist in humans, Ureaplasma parvum (UPA) contains serovars 1, 3, 6, and 14 and Abbreviations: real‐time PCR, Real‐time polymerase chain reaction; UPA, Ureaplasma parvum; UUR, Ureaplasma urealyticum. The colonization of Ureaplasma species in genital tract is related with male infertility. It has been postulated based upon limited study that viru‐ lence is related to serotype specificity. Results: A total of 92 (25.7%) infertile males were positive for Ureaplasma spp; among them, Ureaplasma parvum (UPA) was detected in 73 (79.3%) isolates, and Ureaplasma urealyticum (UUR) was detected in 19 (20.7%) isolates. UPA serovars 1 and 6, and UUR serovar 9 are the most common serovars colonization in urogenital tract of infertile males
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