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Herpes simplex virus (HSV-2) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections produce brain damage in the newborn, and human papillomavirus (HPV) plays a role in cervical carcinogenesis. To assess the frequency of herpes virus and HPV in semen and its role in transmission, semen from 111 male partners of women with histologically-detected genital HPV infection was analysed for HSV, CMV and HPV infection. We used cell culture to detect HSV and CMV, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for HPV. Virological findings in the sperm were correlated to the presence or absence of HPV-associated genital lesions and to the viral type. Viral cultures yielded HSV-2 DNA in 9% and CMV DNA in 6.3% of cases. No correlation was established with a history of clinically apparent infection for HSV. HPV-DNA was detected in 23.4% of semen by PCR techniques: in 48% of subjects with urethral lesions, in 22% of patients with penile lesions, in 2% of patients without HPV-associated lesions. HPV-DNA type 16 was detected in 3.6% of cases. Patients with a positive HPV semen sample and penile or urethral lesions had the same HPV type detected in the two specimens. The study shows a high detection of clinically inapparent HSV and CMV, but does not confirm high HPV prevalence in semen from men without detectable lesions. Our study also suggests that the mechanism for semen contamination by HPV is the exfoliation of infected cells from urethral lesions during semen ejaculation, and probably, by abrasion from penile lesions. This could result in the contamination of semen used in assisted reproductive technology.

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The characteristics of Escherichia coli strains causing bacteremia in profoundly immunosuppressed patients such as transplant recipients are undefined. The phylogenetic group and the virulence genotype of 57 distinct E. coli strains that caused bacteremia in 53 liver transplant recipients were investigated, and the association of these characteristics with host factors and in-hospital mortality was examined. Phylogenetic groups A, B1, B2, and D accounted for 39%, 10%, 25%, and 26% of the isolates, respectively. The most prevalent virulence genes were fyuA (yersiniabactin system: 70%) and iutA (aerobactin system: 63%), whereas hlyA (alpha-hemolysin) and cnf1 (cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1) occurred in only 14% and 12% of isolates, respectively. Most virulence genes were significantly more prevalent among group B2 and D isolates, vs. group A and B1 isolates. The overall rate of in-hospital mortality after E. coli bacteremia was 20%. Predictors of mortality included onset of bacteremia within 30 days of transplantation or during the intensive care unit stay, and non-urinary source and cutaneous source, but not E. coli phylogenetic group or virulence profile. Compared with historical E. coli bloodstream isolates from non-transplant patients, those from liver transplant recipients are characterized by a higher prevalence of groups A and B1 isolates and reduced virulence gene content. This finding can be explained by the severely immunocompromised status of the patients and the predominance of abdominal-source bacteremic episodes. Time of onset and source of bacteremia, not bacterial characteristics, predict mortality.