Immunological factors in sterility: the role of antispermatozoal antibodies in male sterility.

The role of antispermatozoal antibodies in male sterility is discussed. It was shown by the capillary spermagglutination test and the indirect immunofluorescent technique that 26.3% of male partners of infertile couples had autoantibodies against spermatozoa. Oligoazoospermia hypocinesia and pathological changes of the genital tract were more frequent in patients with circulating antoantibodies than in subjects without (52% vs. 40.8% 44% vs. 1.4% and 48% vs. 15.4% respectively). The pathogenic role of detectable antispermatozoal antibodies in sterile male subjects has not been sufficiently clarified. They may play an important role in the automaintenance of the disease or only represent a simple epiphenomenon.