Abstract
To study the influence of enterococci on human sperm membrane in vitro. Ejaculated human sperm were artificially infected with beta-hemolytic or non-beta-hemolytic enterococci at the bacteria: sperm ratio of 50:1 at 37 degrees . Sperm membrane integrity was examined after incubation for 1, 3 and 5 h by hypoosmotic swelling (HOS) test and electron microscopy. Sperm infected with beta-hemolytic enterococci had lower HOS scores compared with non-beta-hemolytic strains or uninfected control (P < 0.01). The HOS test scores of sperm infected with beta-hemolytic enterococci increased in the presence of phosphatidylcholine, an inhibitor of hemolysin. Non-beta-hemolytic strains showed no significant difference in swelling rate, compared with the control group (P > 0.05). It was shown by electron microscopy that beta-hemolytic enterococci caused significant rupture of human sperm membrane. Beta-hemolytic enterococci caused human sperm membrane injury, and might be mediated by the hemolysin of enterococci.
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