July 25, 2017 Collection gloves can impair semen quality

By Kara Stewart, Purdue University Department of Animal Science; Brad

Belstra, Fast Genetics, Madison, Wis.; and W.L. Flowers, North Carolina
State University Department of Animal Science
It has long been known that latex has negative effects on overall function of spermatozoa
in many species. Therefore, the recommendation has always been to use vinyl gloves
when collecting boars. Although vinyl gloves do not appear to have detrimental effects
on sperm cells, they can be slippery and do not fit the contour of the hand well. This can
make it more difficult to maintain a hold on the end of the boar’s penis during
collection. Therefore, boar studs are continually looking for alternatives. As a result, a
study was conducted to determine to what effect the material of collection gloves
influenced sperm function.

Boars were collected using a bare hand for 10 weeks. Ten milliliters of raw semen was
then added to 50 mL conical tubes containing one finger of the following types of gloves:
none (control); vinyl (two different lot numbers); nitrile (six different lot numbers);
latex; and polyethylene. After two, five, 10 and 15 minutes of exposure to the gloves, a 1
milliliter sample of the ejaculate was analyzed for motility using CASA. After 15 minutes,
the sample was evaluated, all treatments were extended in BTS (3 x 109 cells per 80
milliliters) and placed in a storage unit at 17 degrees C. At 24-hours and 72-hours post
collection, a 1 milliliter sample of the extended semen was warmed for 30 minutes to 37
degrees C and evaluated.

After two minutes of exposure motility and progressive motility were similar among the
controls and all the glove materials except for latex gloves which caused a significant
reduction (Figure 1). After five minutes, latex gloves and most of the nitrile gloves (four
out of six lots) had lower motility estimates compared with the other treatments.
Motility and progressive motility were reduced at 24 and 72 hours for sperm exposed to
latex, nitrile and one lot of vinyl gloves compared with the controls and those exposed to
polyethylene and a second lot of vinyl gloves.
Figure 1: Progressive motility of spermatozoa exposed to various types of glove material between two and 15 minutes
and then extended and stored for 72 hours.

The results of this study indicate that latex, nitrile and some vinyl gloves can impair
spermatozoa motility with as little as five to 15 minutes of exposure. The amount of time
that the semen is in contact with the gloved hand during collection can vary as well as
the actual technique itself. Some technicians do not completely cover the glans penis
allowing the semen to pass freely into the collection vessel with minimal contact with
the glove, while others completely cover the glans penis and the entire ejaculate usually
comes into contact with the gloved hand.

If semen is exposed to the glove for less than two minutes, then it is reasonable to
speculate that the material of which the collection glove is made would have minimal
effects on its subsequent quality as long as it is not latex. However, increased periods of
exposure are likely to cause significant reductions in motility even after it is extended.
Overall, a prudent approach would be to completely avoid latex and nitrile gloves when
collecting semen and routinely test different brands and batches of other types of gloves
within the same brand in order to characterize any potential detrimental effect on
viability of sperm cells.