Discrepancy in the frequency of Y chromosome microdeletions among Iranian infertile men with azoospermia and severe oligozoospermia.

AIM: There are discrepancies in the reported frequency of Y chromosome microdeletions among Iranian infertile men. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of Y chromosome microdeletions in an Iranian population with azoospermia and severe oligozoospermia.

METHODS: Totally, 94 azoospermic and 21 severe oligozoospermic patients were screened for the presence of Y chromosome microdeletions. One hundred and five fertile men were included as a control group, as well. The screening of Yq microdeletions was performed by two multiplex PCRs using six STS markers.

RESULTS: No microdeletions were detected in the men with severe oligozoospermia. In the azoospermic group 2/94 (2.13%) patients showed Y chromosome microdeletions. Among them, one patient had complete deletion of the AZFc region and the other showed complete deletion of both the AZFb and AZFc regions (AZFbc). No microdeletion was identified in the AZFa region.

CONCLUSION: The estimated frequency of Y chromosome microdeletions in the present survey was lower than that of previous reports in Iranian populations.