HPV infection in semen: results from a new molecular approach

Abstract

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the agent of the most common sexually transmitted diseases causing a variety of clinical manifestations ranging from warts to cancer. Oncogenic HPV infection is the major cause of cervical cancer and less frequently of penile cancers. Its presence in semen is widely known, but the effects on fertility are still controversial. We developed a new approach to evaluate virus localisation in the different semen components. We analysed also the specific genotype localisation and viral DNA quantity by qPCR. Results show that HPV DNA can be identified in every fraction of semen: spermatozoa, somatic cells and seminal plasma. Different samples can contain the HPV DNA in different fractions and several HPV genotypes can be found in the same fraction. Additionally, different fractions may contain multiple HPV genotypes in different relative quantity. We analysed the wholeness of HPV DNA in sperm cells by qPCR. In one sample more than half of viral genomes were defective, suggesting a possible recombination event. The new method allows to easily distinguish different sperm infections and to observe the possible effects on semen. The data support the proposed role of HPV in decreased fertility and prompt new possible consequences of the infection in semen.

‘Does HPV affect my fertility?’ Reproductive Concerns of HPV-positive women: a qualitative study

“…Concern over subfertility in HPV-positive men has received far less attention in previous qualitative studies. The data support the presence of HPV in semen and its proposed role in decreased fertility (20,21). Other studies indicated that HPV infection of semen represents a risk factor for male fertility abnormality (1,3).…”

Viral infection of spermatozoa. Part 1. Hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus (review)

“…Сперма является одним из субстратов инфицирования ВПЧ, вирусы выявляются в семенной жидкости, в негерминативных клетках эякулята и в сперматозоидах [36]. Продемонстрировано наличие ДНК ВПЧ в очищенной фракции подвижных сперматозоидов [37].…”

HPV Vaccination: The Position Paper of the Italian Society of Colposcopy and Cervico-Vaginal Pathology (SICPCV)

“…Special high-risk clinical conditions may also be considered as a new potential target population: patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), patients under biological treatment, transplanted subjects [ 76 ], and subfertile men/couples [ 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 ]. How the issue of HPV vaccination can be addressed in reproductive health to prevent subfertility and/or reproductive failure (embryo quality) in couples that seek pregnancy naturally or through in vitro fertilization is still unsettled.…”

“…Although meta-analysis suggests that HPV seminal infection can affect male fertility, the exact pathophysiological mechanism remains unclear [ 82 ]. A recent study described a new molecular approach to distinguish different HPV genotypes’ sperm infections and to observe the possible effects on semen [ 79 ]. Furthermore, the reported positive impact on the reproductive outcome of adjuvant HPV vaccination in infertile couples with HPV semen infection should be further investigated [ 83 , 84 , 85 ].…”