THE INCIDENCE OF MORPHOLOGICAL ABNORMALITIES OF SPERMATOZOA IN SEMEN OF INFERTILE MEN AND SOME CAUSES OF VARIATIONS IN ZARIA. NORTHERN NIGERIA
THE INCIDENCE OF MORPHOLOGICAL ABNORMALITIES OF SPERMATOZOA IN SEMEN OF INFERTILE MEN AND SOME CAUSES OF VARIATIONS IN ZARIA. NORTHERN NIGERIA
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Date
1999-06
Authors
OLORUNSHOLA, KOLAWOLE VICTOR
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Abstract
This project consists of two studies (Study I and Study II). Study I
(Methodological study) was used to study the effect of preparation, fixation in buffered
formal saline. Storage at +40C for one month and staining techniques on sperm
morphological abnormalities.
Semen from 150 men in Zaria, were wet fixed in buffered formal saline and
examined with phase contrast microscope. Semen smears stained with Eosin-nigrosin and
carbol fuchsin (William Stain) were also examined using light microscope. The same
ejaculates were stored for a month at +4°c after fixation in buffered formal saline and
the above examination repeated.
There was no significant difference in the means of most of the sperm
morphological abnormalities obtained using the three methods of examination. Also, there
was no significant difference in the means of the sperm morphological abnormalities
before and after storage at -+ 40C for one month. However, there was increase in the mean
values of detached sperm heads in the stained smears and higher mean values of proximal
cytoplasmic droplets for fixed semen examined with phase contrast microscopy. This
study indicates that a combination of phase contrast microscopy and examination of
stained smears using light microscopy is ideal for obtaining the most reliable results in
sperm morphological abnormalities evaluation of human semen.
The study also demonstrated that buffered formal saline is a good fixative for
human sperm.
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Study II was carried out to establish values for different sperm morphologic
characteristics in semen of adult men in Zaria, and to determine the possible influence
of some factors such as age, diseases, social habits such as cigarette smoking and alcohol
consumption and season on sperm morphology.
The Medical history and physical examination including examination of the
genitalia of 150 men followed by semen collection was done between January to
December 1995. The color, volume and density of each ejaculate were noted. Also the
presence of any abnormality such as blood, pus etc if any was noted. Thereafter, sperm
morphological studies for different abnormalities were done using fresh semen fixed in
buffered formal saline and examination by the phase contrast microscope for
abnormalities of acrosome, midpiece and sperm tail, while semen smears prepared from
the fresh semen were stained using Williams (carbol fuchsin) and eosin-nigrosin stains
and examined with the light microscope for abnormalities of sperm heads.
The meteorological data for Zaria for the year 1995 was used to study the
influence of season on human sperm morphology.
Detached normal head, detached abnormal head, midpiece abnormalities and total
sperm morphologic abnormalities had significantly higher means (P<0.05) during the
dry/hot partly harmattan season as compared to the rainy season. The means obtained for
proximal cytoplasmic droplets, distal cytoplasmic droplets, sperm tail abnormalities and
head abnormalities were higher during the rainy season than in the other two seasons.
The total sperm morphological abnormalities in the study groups was found to be
43.69% which is clearly above the 25% suggested in fertile men.
Age and cigarette smoking was found not to affect sperm morphological
abnormalities. Midpiece and sperm tail abnormalities were significantly higher (P<0.05)
in the group with past or present sexually transmissible disease (STD) than the group
without STD.
Higher mean values for sperm morphological abnormalities evaluation in subjects
with genital abnormalities such as cryptorchidism, varicocele and hydrocele were also
obtained. The total sperm morphological abnormalities in these groups were significantly
higher than values obtained in fertile men without genital abnormalities.
From study II, it is concluded that season of the year, alcohol consumption,
infection with sexually transmissible diseases and genital abnormalities such as bilateral
undescended testes, varicocele and hydrocele have adverse effect on human sperm
morphology.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA, NIGERIA
JUNE, 1999
Keywords
INCIDENCE,, MORPHOLOGICAL,, ABNORMALITIES,, SPERMATOZOA,, SEMEN,, INFERTILE,, MEN,, CAUSES,, VARIATIONS,, ZARIA., NORTHERN,, NIGERIA.