The incidence of antisperm antibodies in patients with seminal tract obstructions

Antisperm antibodies are one of the important factors in male infertility caused by vasal obstructions. To investigate the incidence of serum antisperm antibodies in patients with various kinds of seminal tract obstructions, we retrospectively analyzed the sera of 60 patients using the indirect immunobead test (IBT) to find serum antisperm antibodies. Immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgA class antisperm antibodies were positive in 55% and 18% of those patients with a vasal obstruction caused by inguinal herniorrhaphy and in 60% and 20% of vasectomized patients respectively; whereas these antibodies were positive in 13% and 0% of those patients with an epididymal obstruction of unknown etiology and in 8% and 3% of those patients with congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD). The incidence of antisperm antibodies was significantly higher in patients with a vasal obstruction than in those with an epididymal obstruction (p < 0.001).