Evaluation of helicobacter pylori antibodies in blood and seminal fluid of infertile men

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection remains highly prevalent in developing countries. As a result of antigenic mimicry between H. pylori flagella and spermatozoa (the only flagellated human cell), the antibodies produced against the H. pylori may potentially cross react with sperm flagellum. So, in this study, we investigated the presence of antibodies against H. pylori and H. pylori CagA antigen in seminal fluid and serum of infertile men to elucidate the role of H. pylori infection in idiopathic infertility.Methods: This was a case- control study comprising 30 infertile men and 30 healthy donors who referred to Motahhari Hospital, Urmia, Iran for assisted reproduction. ELISA evaluation of antibodies against the H. pylori and Cag A antigen for sero- positive individuals was performed.Result: The seroprevalence of IgG against the H. pylori in both infertile men and healthy donors was 93.3% and 100% (P> 0.05), while the percentage of IgA positive against H. pylori in the semen of the infertile and control groups were 0 and 3.3, respectively. Serum levels of IgG antibodies against CagA H. pylori were 7.60 and 3.73 in infertile and control groups. The level of IgA against the CagA H. pylori was undetectable in both groups.Conclusion: Although the prevalence of H. pylori in both infertile men and healthy donors was high, there was no statistically significant relation between the level of H. pylori antibodies and male infertility.

کلیدواژه ها:

CagA ، Male infertility ، Seminal fluid ، Serum ، Helicobacter pylori