Waddlia chondrophila and Male Infertility.

David Baud,Manon Vouga,Milos Stojanov,Gilbert Greub,Maria Verónica Morales Zapata,Nicolas Vulliemoz

doi:10.3390/microorganisms8010136

Abstract

Waddlia chondrophila, a Chlamydia-like bacterium, has been previously associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Analogously to Chlamydia trachomatis, W. chondrophila also negatively impacts human semen and may be a source of impaired male fertility. In this study, we analyzed W. chondrophila seroprevalence in a population of male patients of infertile couples and the impact of past exposition to this bacterium on semen parameters. Our results show a surprisingly high seroprevalence of W. chondrophila, which contrasts with a previous study focusing on a population of healthy men. Nevertheless, we did not observe any significant association between positive serology and abnormal sperm parameters. This may suggest that a negative impact on semen is observed only during an ongoing infection. Alternatively, W. chondrophila may have an immune impact on male fertility, as previously postulated for women with adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Highlights

Since the 1980s, a concerning decrease in semen quality has been reported, and potential causes are still being debated [1,2]
Using an in vitro model of infection, we recently showed that Waddlia chondrophila, an emerging Chlamydia-like bacterium, has a negative impact on human spermatozoa [13]
Our results indicated that positive serology was not significantly associated with abnormal semen status (Tables 2 and 3)

Summary

Introduction

Since the 1980s, a concerning decrease in semen quality has been reported, and potential causes are still being debated [1,2]. Etiologies, including endocrine and genetic disorders, have been demonstrated [3], but male infertility may be linked to environmental factors. Lifestyle habits, such as smoking, high BMI, and the increasing exposure to xenoestrogens, for example in drinking water, have been associated with reduced male fertility [4,5]. The well-known intracellular pathogen, Chlamydia trachomatis, which can cause urethritis and negatively impact spermatozoa physiology, may be a key example [9,10,11,12]. Using an in vitro model of infection, we recently showed that Waddlia chondrophila, an emerging Chlamydia-like bacterium, has a negative impact on human spermatozoa [13]. Standard sperm washing techniques were unable to completely eradicate it

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Conclusion