Molecular detection of HHV1-5, AAV and HPV in semen specimens and their impact on male fertility

Abstract

Viral infections have been considered as possible destructive factors that influence male fertility. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of human herpes viruses 1-5 (HHV1-5), adeno associated virus (AAV) and human papilloma virus (HPV) in semen and whether these influence semen quality. DNA extraction was performed using phenol-chloroform protocol, then three different nested-PCRs were done to detect HHV1-5, AAV and HPV DNAs in the semen samples. Of 145 samples, 66 (45.5%) were positive at least for one of the viruses. The genome detection rate of HSV1/2, VZV, EBV, HCMV, AAV and HPV were zero, 2.8%, zero, 1.4%, 27.6% and 19.3%, respectively. Of 66 positive samples for these viruses, 6 (4.1% of all samples) were positive for two viruses simultaneously. Here no association was found between variations in semen parameters related to fertility and detection of VZV, HCMV, AAV and HPV DNA in semen samples. It should be noted that the prevalence of different viruses in semen, and their relevance to male infertility, differs significantly due to the genome extraction and amplification methods or due to a real variation between study populations and geographical regions.

Human seminal virome: a panel based on recent literature

“… AAV Parvoviridae Dependoparvovirus ssDNA Not known to cause disease. Used in virus-vectored gene-therapy trials NA Abnormal sperm parameters was reported Behboudi et al, 2019 [ 79 ]; Rohde et al, 1999 [ 80 ]; Erles et al, 2001 [ 81 ]; Schlehofer et al, 2012 [ 82 ]; Le Tortorec et al, 2020 [ 25 ]. ANDV Hantaviridae Orthohantavirus ssRNA (-) Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome NA Unknown Le Tortorec et al, 2020 [ 25 ]; Kuenzli et al et al, 2018 [ 83 ].…”

“…Some studies have not found any association [ 39 , 45 , 79 , 145 ] between the impact of HCMV on male fertility and seminal parameters, whereas others have observed a positive correlation [ 12 , 36 , 40 ].…”

“…The number of reports on the influence of VZV on semen is small, and these studies are controversial. Behboudi et al [ 79 ] reported that 2.8% of the semen samples were positive for VZV DNA, but no significant difference was found between the seminal parameters of positive and negative samples. Neofytou et al [ 45 ] detected VZV DNA in four semen samples, one with normozoospermia and three with sperm alterations.…”

“…In addition, there was no evidence of sexual transmission of AAV. Furthermore, Behboudi et al [ 79 ] detected AAV DNA in 27.6% of semen samples, but no association was found between seminal AAV infection and semen quality.…”

The interplay between EBV and KSHV viral products and NF-κB pathway in oncogenesis

“…DNA viruses consist of Epstein Barr virus (EBV), Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPv) and Human papillomavirus (HPV) which are known to be correlated with several human malignancies [4,5]. EBV and KSHV are the member of human γ-herpesviruses that are classified as class I carcinogens based on World Health Organization and also account for 2-3 and 10% of all human tumors and infection-related malignancies, respectively [6].…”