Chlamydia trachomatis infection in the genital tract is associated with inflammation and hypospermia in the infertile male of China / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection is the most prevalent sexually transmitted bacterial disease worldwide. However, unlike that in female infertility, the role of CT infection in male infertility remains controversial. The objective of this retrospective study was to explore the impacts of CT infection in the genital tract on sperm quality, sperm acrosin activity, antisperm antibody levels, and inflammation in a large cohort of infertile males in China. A total of 7154 semen samples were collected from infertile male subjects, 416 of whom were CT positive (CT+ group) and 6738 of whom were CT negative (CT- group), in our hospital between January 2016 and December 2018. Routine semen parameters (semen volume, pH, sperm concentration, viability, motility, morphology, etc.), granulocyte elastase levels, antisperm antibody levels, and sperm acrosin activity were compared between the CT+ and CT- groups. Our results showed that CT infection was significantly correlated with an abnormally low semen volume, as well as an increased white blood cell count and granulocyte elastase level (all P < 0.05) in the semen of infertile males; other routine semen parameters were not negatively impacted. The antisperm antibody level and sperm acrosin activity were not affected by CT infection. These findings suggested that CT infection might contribute to inflammation and hypospermia but does not impair sperm viability, motility morphology, and acrosin activity or generate antisperm antibodies in the infertile males of China.

The Analysis of Clinical Manifestations in a Large SCA3 Pedigree / 中国神经精神疾病杂志

Objective To analysis the clinical manifestations of a large Spinocerebellar Ataxia 3 pedigree to pro-vide the information for the early diagnosis of Ataxia 3. Methods SCA3/ATXN3 gene was determined by using Poly-merase Chain Reaction and fragment analysis in the large pedigree members and patients ’clinical data was collected. Five patients underwent MRI imaging and fundus examination. Results There were eighteen clinical patients and twelve ATXN3 carriers in this Pedigree . In addition to ataxia, three patients presented with intellectual disability, one with cer-vical spondylosis, one with dysmyotonia, one with disorder in visual system, and seven with abnormality in autonomic ner-vous system. The MRI revealed that pons and cerebellar atrophy in some patients inordinately. Undus examination did not reveal any obvious abnormality. Conclusions The symptoms of SCA3 are heterogeneous in the same pedigree. When patients present with symptoms of cerebellar system, visual system and autonomic nervous system, or cervical spondylosis and intellectual disability, SCA3 should be considered.