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Volume 24, Number 3—March 2018
Research Letter

Evidence for Previously Unidentified Sexual Transmission of Protozoan Parasites

Clara Crespillo-Andujar1, Marta Díaz-Menéndez1Comments to Author , and Marta Mora-Rillo
Author affiliations: National Referral Unit for Tropical and Travel Medicine, Hospital Universitario la Paz-Carlos III, Madrid, Spain (C. Crespillo-Andujar, M. Díaz-Menéndez); Hospital Universitario la Paz-Carlos III, Madrid (M. Mora-Rillo)

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Table

Results of literature search for reports of parasites found in semen samples

Parasite (reference) Method for parasite identification Type of study Evidence of sexual transmission Evidence of causing infertility
Entamoeba hystolytica (2) Microscopy Case report In humans In humans
Schistosoma haematobium (3) Microscopy Cohort study No evidence In humans
Trichomonas vaginalis (4) PCR Cohort study In humans In humans
Trypanosoma cruzi (5) PCR Cohort study Experimental mouse model In animals
Toxoplasma gondii (6) Microscopy Cohort study Experimental sheep model In humans

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References
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  2. Ozdemir  E, Keleştemur  N, Kaplan  M. Trichomonas vaginalis as a rare cause of male factor infertility at a hospital in East Anatolia. Andrologia. 2011;43:283–5. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  3. Hines  LE. Entamoeba histolytica in seminal fluid in a case of amoebic dysentery. JAMA. 1923;81:274–5. DOIGoogle Scholar
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  7. Martínez-García  F, Regadera  J, Mayer  R, Sanchez  S, Nistal  M. Protozoan infections in the male genital tract. J Urol. 1996;156:340–9. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  8. Shiadeh  MN, Niyyati  M, Fallahi  S, Rostami  A. Human parasitic protozoan infection to infertility: a systematic review. Parasitol Res. 2016;115:469–77. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Laboratory identification of parasitic diseases of public health concern. Schistosomiasis infection. Dec 18, 2017 [cited 2018 Jan 15] https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/schistosomiasis/index.html
  10. Leutscher  P, Ravaoalimalala  VE, Raharisolo  C, Ramarokoto  CE, Rasendramino  M, Raobelison  A, et al. Clinical findings in female genital schistosomiasis in Madagascar. Trop Med Int Health. 1998;3:327–32. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  11. World Health Organization. Global incidence and prevalence of selected curable sexually transmitted infections—2008. Geneva: The Organization; 2012 [cited 2017 Nov 6]. http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/rtis/stisestimates/en/

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1These first authors contributed equally to this article.

Page created: February 16, 2018
Page updated: February 16, 2018
Page reviewed: February 16, 2018
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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