Effect of levofloxacin treatment on semen hyperviscosity inchronic bacterial prostatitis patients

Changes in seminal fluid viscosity (SFV), reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, cytokines and seminal leucocyte concentration related to microbiological outcome in patients with chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP) were studied. One hundred and ten infertile patients with CBP (positive sperm culture 10(5) colony-forming units [CFU]ml(-1), pathogens or Chlamydia in expressed prostatic secretions) were treated with levofloxacin 500mg daily for 14 consecutive days per month for 3months. In case of bacterial prostatitis, two conditions were examined: responders, eradication of 0 to <10(3)CFUml(-1) (n=78) and poor responders, >10(3) to <10(5)CFUml(-1) (n=32). Compared with poor responders, responders showed a significant increase of sperm progressive motility and a significant decrease in seminal leucocyte count, SFV, liquefaction time, ROS production (in all fractions and conditions), seminal tumour necrosis factor- and interleukin 6. None of these variables showed significant differences compared with a control group of 37 fertile men. On the other hand, the poor responders showed significant changes in these variables compared with matched pretreatment values. In patients with CBP, antibiotic therapy alone leads to eradication in approximate to 71%, with improvement of sperm progressive motility, SFV and the framework of prooxidative factors. However, in the remaining approximate to 29% with poor antibiotic responsiveness, a deterioration of all variables is observed.