SEMEN ABNORMALITY AND CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS ANTIBODIES AMONG MALE PATIENTS ATTENDING FERTILITY CLINICS IN NNEWI, ANAMBRA STATE.

* Okwelogu Izunna Somadina 1 , Agbakoba Nneka Regina 2 and Oguejiofor Chariot 3 . 1. Department of Parasitology and Entomology, NnamdiAzikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. 2. Department of Medical Laboratory Science,NnamdiAzikiwe University, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria. 3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Health Sciences, NnamdiAzikiweUniversity, Nnewi Campus, Anambra State, Nigeria. ...................................................................................................................... Manuscript Info Abstract ......................... ........................................................................ Manuscript History

Against the background of increasing cases of male infertility in our community, this study was carried out to screen the serum of male patients for the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies and also analyse their semen samples for abnormalities. Five hundred (500) subjects aged between 25-49 years, were randomly recruited for the study. Four hundred (400) had infertility as their main complaint while the remaining 100 without complaint served as controls. Semen and blood samples were collected from each of the subjects. The semen samples were examined for abnormalities using Makler counting method. The blood samples were allowed to clot and the serum collected for sero-diagnosis using immunoCombChlamydia trachomatis kits (Inverness medical innovations, ORGENICS, Israel). An overall Chlamydia trachomatis sero-prevalence rate of 13.0% out of 500 patients were positive. Oligozoospermia was the highest form of abnormality recorded 49(29.3%) among the subjects and the least was azoospermia 1(2.9%). Oligozoospemia was more in age group 25-29 years old 17 (34.7%). Although the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis antibody in this study is low, this organism may play contributory roles in infertility and so effort should be made to screen patients attending fertility clinics routinely for it.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….... Introduction:-
Chlamydia infection is a common sexually transmitted infection in humans caused by a bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis. Four million cases of Chlamydia trachomatis are reported annually (WHO, 2010). The most common manifestation of male infertility is low sperm count. Possible influence of Chlamydia trachomatis infections is on semen quality (Low, 2007).Chlamydia trachomatis is a deadly silent killer, been asymptomatic during the early stage of infection and since the disease is undiscovered at the early stage and deadly, it has not only brought about the reduction in the population (Emuoyibofarheet al, 2015).

Materials and methods:-
This was a cross sectional study from subjects attending fertility clinics in Nnewi. Five hundred subjects (500) subjects were randomly selected for the study. Four hundred of them were subjects and had infertility as their main ISSN: 2320-5407 Int. J. Adv. Res. 4(9), 1141-1143 1142 complaint. The remaining 100 were students who had no complaint and so were recruited as controls. The consent form was administered to subjects and questionnaires were used to gather relevant information.Ethical consideration was sought from the Ethics Committeeof Faculty of Health Sciences, NnamdiAzikiweUnversity, Nnewi Campus. All subjects provided a semen specimen by masturbation. Blood and semen specimens collected were analysedin accordance with Osazuwaet al., (2013) using immunoCombChlamydia trachomatis kits (ORGENICS, Israel).Semen samples were examined microscopically using the Makler chamber to determine the semen abnormality.

Results
Five hundred (500) subjects including control aged between 25-49 years old, were randomly recruited for the study in Nnewi, South-Eastern Nigeria. Four hundred (400) had infertility as their main complaint while the remaining 100 without complaint served as controls. An overall Chlamydia trachomatis sero-prevalence rate of 13.0% (65/500) was obtained. Sixty-five(13.0%) out of 400 patients and 3(3.0%) out of 100 controls were positive. Subject of the age group 25-29 years had the highest infection rate 19.0% followed by age group 30-34 years old, with 16.4% while those in age group 45-49 years old had the least infection (10.6%). The difference in age-specific prevalence ofChlamydia trachomatis among patients was statistically significant. Patients with oligozoospermia was the highest form of abnormality recorded 49(29.3%) and the least was azoospermia 1(2.9%). The difference between prevalence ofChlamydia trachomatis antibodies and forms of semen abnormality among patients was also statistically higher.

Discussion:-
This study revealed prevalence rate (13.0%) of Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies among patients with semen abnormality attending fertility clinics in Nnewi. The result in this study was lower than 28.2% in Anambra State (Anaghalu, 2006), 62.6% (Okoror and Agbonlahor, 2012).The students selected as controls recorded only 3.0% of the infection. The differences observed may be associated with lifestyle. For instance, lifestyle in cities such as Enugu is relatively better as compared to semi-urban area such as Nnewi. The prevalence rate of 3.0% recorded among the students (control) was also lower than 6% recorded previously by Chukwumaet al, (2008) in NnamdiAzikiwe University, Awka. The reason could be the fact that the students are currently more aware of this infection than previously in the past.Among the age group studied, 25-29 years had the highest Chlamydia antibodies (19.0%) followed 30-34 years old. As age increases, sexual drive decreases among couples and this could