LIGHT-MICROSCOPY AS AN AID IN PREDICTING UREAPLASMA INFECTION IN HUMAN SEMEN

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 30  (5) , 586-591
Abstract
The potential role of U. urealyticum in human infertility makes it desirable to screen barren couples for this infection. Semen specimens from 96 consecutive patients were evaluated. Microbiologic results were correlated with the percentage of coiled and fuzzy tails in seminal cytology. These features were then used in a double-blind study to predict Ureaplasma infection in another group of 100 randomly selected patients. It was possible to predict the presence or absence of Ureaplasma prior to laboratory culture in 70% of specimens. False-positive diagnoses were made in 19%. The diagnosis was false-negative in 11%.