Semen characteristics and inflammatory mediators in infertile men with different clinical diagnoses.

This study was aimed at investigating whether semen characteristics in different clinical diagnoses of infertility are associated with PMN elastase, IL-6, IL-8, IL-1beta and TNFalpha levels detected in seminal plasma. Sixty-eight patients were divided into groups according to their clinical diagnosis: idiopathic infertility (group I), varicocele with infections (group II), varicocele (group III), infections (group IV), controls (group V). Physical examination and scrotal Eco-color Doppler was used to detect the varicocele. Patients with positive bacteriological semen analysis were considered as having an infection of the male reproductive tract. Samples were examined by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM data were quantified with a mathematical formula furnishing a fertility index and the percentage of sperm apoptosis, immaturity and necrosis. PMN elastase/alpha1-PI complex levels were determined by ELISA and IL-6, IL-8, IL-1beta, TNFalpha by Bio-Plex Cytokine assay. Sperm concentration (I-II: p < 0.005; III-IV: p < 0.0001), motility (I-IV: p < 0.0001) and the fertility index (I: p < 0.005; II-IV: p < 0.0001) were significantly lower in the groups vs. controls, whereas sperm pathologies, except for apoptosis, were significantly higher in group I and apoptosis and necrosis were higher in group III. An increase in immaturity (p < 0.005) with a decrease in necrosis (p < 0.005) were observed in group III vs. group IV. Significantly higher levels of inflammatory mediators were detected in groups III and IV vs. controls. Despite a broad relationship among different inflammatory mediators, no correlation was found among them and the semen parameters, including indices from TEM analysis. In conclusion, patients with idiopathic infertility showed altered semen quality and normal levels of inflammatory mediators. Genitourinary infection and varicocele induced an inflammatory effect which could play a detrimental role in spermatogenesis, revealed by a decrease in sperm motility and the fertility index, concomitant with an increase in immaturity mainly in varicocele and necrosis in infection.

Evidence of Toscana virus variants circulating in Tuscany, Italy, during the summers of 1995 to 1997.

The Toscana virus can cause neurological infection in adults. This study of 112 cases of acute meningitis which occurred during the summers of 1995, 1996, and 1997 demonstrated the presence of viral RNA in the cerebrospinal fluid of 56 patients. Their sequence analysis shows four variants of the Toscana virus.

Rapid detection of different RNA respiratory virus species by multiplex RT-PCR: application to clinical specimens.

BACKGROUND: The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) applied in diagnostic and epidemiologic investigations is very useful for sensitivity, specificity and time saving. OBJECTIVE: We have developed a method for the detection of genomic RNA of two different species of virus, the influenza A virus (IA) and the respiratory syncytial virus (RS), which are responsible for clinical similarities. We applied this multiplex RT-PCR protocol on clinical specimens. STUDY DESIGN: We describe a method which allows rapid diagnosis by performing a single retro-transcriptase (RT) reaction associated with the PCR (multiplex RT-PCR) on different genomes in a single sample. We have evaluated the sensitivity and the specificity of the multiplex test on positive controls, then, on RNA extracted from clinical specimens harvested from 15 children with respiratory symptoms during the spring-winter season 1997. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The multiplex RT-PCR protocol, applied to respiratory specimens, allows the investigation of RNA IA virus and RS virus in a single sample at the same time. The detection of the etiologic viral agent is rapid and it is possible to evaluate incidental simultaneous infections.