The prevalence and clinical significance of leukocytes (WBC) and immature germ cells in semen is currently a matter of controversy. The aim of this work was to assess the prevalence of leukocytospermia in semen samples from Venezuelan men and its possible effects on sperm parameters. The concentration of WBC and round cells (RC) was evaluated in 118 semen samples from 19 fertile subjects (group 1), 62 infertile patients (group II), and 37 men with varicocele (group III). Semen WBC concentration was assessed by peroxidase assay. Twenty-six (22%) of the total samples had more than 10 WBC/mL semen. Twenty of the infertile men had leukocytospermia (32%) compared with 16% in the fertile group and 8% in the varicocele group. Semen RC concentration was lower than 5 x 10(6)/mL in all groups but, in groups II and III was significantly higher compared with group I. Infertile men had the highest WBC concentration. WBC concentration was negatively correlated with progressive motility, percentage of morphologically normal sperm, and hypoosmotic swelling test in infertile men but not in the varicocele group. In this group a negative correlation was obtained between immature germ cells and normal sperm morphology. The data show that leukcytospermia occurs frequently in infertile patients and is associated with poor semen quality parameters. In contrast, in men with varicocele, the increased number of immature germ cells might play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of abnormal spermatozoa.

To determine the possible changes in semen quality of Venezuelan men from 1981 to 1995, a retrospective analysis of semen volume and sperm concentrations was carried out for 2313 men from infertile couples. According to the sperm counts the sample was categorized in four groups: A, 0 sperm; B, <20 x 10(6) sperm/mL; C, 20-200 x 10(6) sperm/mL; D, 2200 x 10(6) sperm/mL. The percentage of men in each group was 9.1, 18.8, 63. 1, and 9.0%, respectively. The frequency of azoospermia and oligozoospermia (groups A and B) did not change over the last 15 years. On the contrary, the frequency showed a significant increase in group C and a decrease in group D. The range of the means of semen volume was 2.6-3.6 mL, linear regression analysis did not show a decrease in seminal fluid volume over time. The range of the means of sperm concentrations were 6.2-12.0 x 10(6) sperm/mL, 73-100 x 10(6) sperm/mL), and 230-340 sperm x 10(6)/mL in groups B, C, and D, respectively. Linear regression analysis revealed a significant reduction in the means of sperm concentrations only in group D. Excluding the azoospermic group, the analysis of pooled data (B + C + D), did not show a significant change in the means of sperm density throughout time. In the semen samples with sperm counts below 200 x 10(6)/mL the means of sperm concentration did not change in the 15-year period of observation.

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