[Epidemiology of male infertility]

The responsibility of the male in the infertility of the couple has been ignored for long time; it is now universally recognized and obliges general practitioners to explore the possibility of male infertility. Clinical and laboratory examinations must be carried out simultaneously, with a systematic search for the major risk factors of male infertility, such as varicocele and history of genital infection or injury to the testis. The practitioner must also investigate the working conditions and the environment of the infertile male in search for occupational risk factors which are frequently overlooked but often have severe consequences.