The effect of a treatment with doxycycline on semen of asthenozoospermic patients with T-mycoplasma genital infection.

The pathogenic role of T-Mycoplasma seminal infection in male sterility is a matter of controversy. The aim of this study was to observe the effect of a specific treatment in asthenozoospermic patients in which the only finding was the presence of T-Mycoplasma in semen. Twenty five patients (age 24 to 49 years) were incorporated. Average time of known infertility was 4.0 +/- 0.5 years. Asthenozoospermia was diagnosed by at least three previous spermatograms. All other studies were negative with the only exception of the tests to study the presence of T-Mycoplasma in semen. Each patient was treated with doxycycline (200 mg/day) during 20 days. Control spermatograms were performed at 30 and 90 days from the initiation of treatment. After treatment the tests to detect the presence of T-Mycoplasma in semen were negative in all patients. A significant increase of the percentages of forwardly progressive spermatozoa and of live and motile spermatozoa was observed together with a significant decrease of the percentage of non motile spermatozoa. Qualitatively eleven patients (44%) achieved a normalization of the spermogram; five patients (20%) obtained significant improvements while nine patients (36%) did not experience any significant change. Although the real significance of T-Mycoplasma in the determination of male sterility is still a matter of controversy, its presence in semen in asthenozoospermic patients should be considered and, consequently, treated.