Abstract
This retrospective analysis was to study the prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) in a Reproductive Medical Center in Hong Kong. A total of 1190 patients were included in this study. Group 1A, couples had no symptoms but presented with subinfertility; Group 1B, the subfertile couples were positive for either Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) or Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU); Group 2, couples with symptoms were offered full STD screening including CT, UU, Mycoplasma hominis (MH), Neisseria gonorrhoea (NG), Syphilis, Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and 2. The methods of ELISA and quantitative real-time PCR were used for these analyses. Group 1A: UU detection rates in both male and female (13.84 v.s. 37.07%) were significantly higher than that of CT (5.65 v.s. 5.57%); Group 1B and Group 2: For those who had Full STD check, UU and MH detection rates were significantly higher than that of CT (35, 13.7 and 7.1% respectively). Over 47% of patients showed positive for one or more organism. In the subfertile couples, the UU and CT detection rates were much higher in females than those in males. Both semen and urine samples gave the same rates of infection among CT, UU, NG and MH. U. urealyticum infection rate rather than Chlamydis trachomatis infection is highest in Hong Kong. The infection rate in females is higher than in males. The detection rates in semen and urine samples in males are similar.
Highlights
The screening for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) is a routine procedure for all patients receiving fertility treatment
Group 1B: If these patients were positive for the above initial testing, the couples were tested with full STD checking including Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), UU, Mycoplasma hominis (MH), Neisseria gonorrhoea (NG), syphilis (VDRL or Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR)), IgG of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) 1 and 2
This study, for the first time in Hong Kong, revealed that UU infection rates in both male and female subfertile patients were higher than those of CT infection; Among the full STD screening, UU still represented the highest rate of infection; Among CT, NG, MH and UU, MH showed significantly higher detection rates compared to that of CT
Summary
The screening for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) is a routine procedure for all patients receiving fertility treatment. With an increasing demand on sperm donors and egg donors, STD screening draws more attention to both patients and professionals. In U.S, STD prevalence was 15 million (Cates, 1999) and this number continues to rise every year. There are not many publications on STD in the infertility field. Such information would shed light on making guidelines by the regulatory bodies. According to the Hong Kong guidelines for screening of potential gamete/embryo donors and recipients against infectious diseases, the following serological tests should be performed:
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