• 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 30 (3), 413-420
Abstract
The development of sperm agglutinins in serum and seminal plasma in relation to vasectomy was studied in 47 men by testing samples taken before vasectomy and on 5 occasions during the 1st year after vasectomy. Additional patients [30] were tested only 1 yr after vasectomy. By 1 yr after vasectomy, sperm agglutinins in the serum in titers from 4 to about 4000 developed in 62% of the entire group. Antibodies in the seminal fluid detectable by the gelatin agglutination test were present in only 4% of the group, and apart from 1 unusual case the titers were low her (either 4 or 8). Analysis of the modes of agglutination revealed changing patterns in several patients during the observation period, with a predominance of tail agglutinins after 1 yr. In some cases, mixed agglutination was seen with serum but pure tail-to-tail agglutination with seminal plasma. The total number of spermatozoa in a pre-vasectomy ejaculate was correlated with an early immune response and with the titer values after 1 yr. The group of patients in whom agglutinins developed 1 yr after vasectomy had significantly larger nodules at the sites of operation than those without sperm agglutinins.