Researchers based in Italy have demonstrated that exposing sperm cells to vesicles created by bacteria such as E. coli causes impaired motility and DNA damage.
Outer membrane vesicles are created by bacteria such as E. coli and can play a role in allowing them to invade a host cell. E. coli is frequently found in the semen of infertile men, the authors explained in a paper published in the journal Pathogens, which prompted them to look at the effect of outer membrane vesicles on sperm.
They found exposure to the vesicles for as little as 30 minutes in vitro reduced motility in sperm.
