P-453 Bacterial semen infections of North-African men: A 10-year retrospective study of 10.386 semen samples between January, 2013 and December, 2022

Abstract Study question What is the situation of bacterial semen infections in North African men between 2013 and 2022? Summary answer The proportion positive-bacterial-semen-cultures North-Afrian was 5.9%: Tunisian-patients positive rate 5.8%. Algerians 7.9% Lybian 4.7%. known already Numerous bacteria can influence spermatogenesis process at different levels disrupt spermatozoa development, maturation, transport. Presence pathogenic male-genital-system has been mainly associated with poor sperm function, leading to infertility. Bacterial such as by Chlamydia-trachomatis (CT), Mycoplasma-hominis (MH) genitalium (MG), Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) parvum (UP), Escherichia coli (EC), Enterococcus-faecalis (EF), Staphylococcus aureus (SA) haemolyticus (SH), Helicobacter pylori, Streptococcus agalactiae, Gardnerella-vaginalis, Anaerococcus, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Pseudomonas aeruginosa are among most common isolated bacteria, affecting quality interfering male fertility. (Wang et al., 2021; Farsimadan Motamedifar, 2020). design, size, duration Retrospective study including 10.386 Sperm-culture-analyzes performed January, 2013-December, 2022 patients from North-Africa (Tunisians, Libyans) aged 19 73 years-old (y.o) (average-age: 43.2 y.o ± 7.16). Semen samples were divided two main groups, Group-1: Bacterial-Semen-Infected-samples Group-2: without bacterial-infection. investigation North-African men’ semen-bacterial-infections based on types analyzed, years (year year) nationalities patients. Participants/materials, setting, methods North-African-patients composed 79% (n = 8201), 11% Algerian-patients 1142) 10% Libyan-patients(n 1038) presented Laboratory for Semen-infection-diagnosis. Semen-samples analyzed according World-Health-Organization(WHO)-guidelines. Real-time-polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) biochemical-identification using Vitek2®ID-cards (BioMérieux) used bacterial-semen-infections’ detection atypical-bacteria, aerobic/anaerobic bacteria. Statistical-analyzes SPSS22.0 Windows-software. Kolmogorov–Smirnov-test normality-analysis comparisons Student-t-test/Mann–Whitney-U-test, appropriate. Pearson/Spearman’ tests correlations appropriate, P-value <0.05 considered significant. Main results role chance A total cultures 613 positive-bacterial-semen-cultures, showing an annual variation 0.7% first year last study. 5.9% stable throughout period (4.8% 7.3%) except 2018 (9.5%) (12.5%). Leucocytes concentration which positively correlated bacterial-semen-infections our (r 0.165; p < 0.001) have shown a significant increase its average 2019 2021 comparison other UU present atypical Goup-1 270 infected-samples, UP second 134 infected-samples then MH 71 CT MG 13 infected-samples. For aerobic anaerobic Group-1, EC 17.3%, EF 10.5%, SH 5.7%, SA 5.2% NG 2.2%. Positive Tunisian Algerian cultures’ Our may represent update over past decade. Limitations, reasons caution retrospective-statistical-survey that included presenting laboratory bacterial-semen-infection-diagnosis due pathology and/or inflammation genital tract or simple fertility-diagnosis. Meta-analysis studies addition more prospective-randomized-controlled-trials collaboration Microbiology/Andrology laboratories necessary confirm deny results. Wider implications findings These should interest epidemiologists, reproductive biology fundamentalists, urologists, microbiologists, gynecologists, embryologists who want improve investigations fertility problems. Trial registration number Not applicable