Aetiologic factors in male infertility: clinical, microbiological and hormonal evaluation

Seventy two infertile men were studied. History of small pox and mumps infection was noted in 4 and 3 patients respectively. Seven patients had varicocele (9.2%), and small atrophic testes were found in 9 (12.5%). Azoospermia was reported in 41 (58.3%) and oligospermia in 17 (23.6%), and 14 patients (19.4%) had normal sperm counts. Mycoplasma were grown from urethral swabs in 25 (35%) patients. Mean LH and FSH were elevated in azoospermics (p less than 0.001), E2-17B in oligospermics (p less than 0.001) and FSH in normospermic (p less than 0.01) patients. Hypergonadotropism suggestive of primary testicular failure was recorded in 43 (59.7%) patients. Hypogonadotropism was noted in 3 (4%) and hyperprolactinemia due to pituitary microadenoma induced infertility in only one patient. No aetiology could be determined in 11 (16%) patients.