Presence of antisperm antibodies in the serum of Sardinian adult people. I. Study on healthy adult men in north Sardinia.

Infertility is a problem estimated to occur in 15-20% of couples. Among many possible causes of this condition, an immunological factor must be considered, in particular the presence of antibodies to spermatozoa in the serum and also in the seminal plasma. Several researches agree in reporting that the incidence of such antibodies is considerably higher in men affected by impairment of spermatogenesis than in healthy subjects as showed also in our Institute. In order to widen our knowledge of the topic at issue, considering that there are no data concerning this problem in Sardinia, we thought it right to begin an epidemiological research about the incidence of antispermatozoal antibodies in the resident, adult and seemingly healthy male population. Therefore, we have tested the serum of 250 men, aged from 20 to 50, habitual blood donors registered in Transfusional Centres of North Sardinia, who have never manifested failures of the reproductive system; for the detection of the antispermatozoal antibodies, we have adopted the indirect immunofluorescence assay. The first results show that, in a few cases, corresponding to 2.4 per cent, also in a highly selected population antibodies to spermatozoa were present, and they were directed particularly against the acrosome and the equatorial segment. The ultimate aim of the research is to give epidemiological data, concerning both sexes, that may be utilized in a wider study of the local causes of infertility.