title: Absence of hepatitis C genome in semen of infected men by polymerase chain reaction, branched DNA and in situ hybridization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The presence or absence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in the semen of infected man remains controversial, mainly due to technical difficulties associated with nucleic acid detection. The aims of this study were to assess the presence of HCV RNA in spermatozoa and in seminal fluid using different polymerase chain reaction (PCR)- and non-PCR-dependent methods and, in the case of HCV presence, to correlate this detection with the viraemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum and semen from 25 chronically infected hepatitis C patients were studied. The semen was separated into spermatozoa and seminal fluid and HCV RNA was analysed in the two fractions using RT-PCR and branched DNA. The presence of HCV RNA in pelleted cells was also assessed using in situ hybridization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All three approaches failed to demonstrate HCV RNA in semen. The presence of an inhibitor of the PCR was demonstrated in seminal fluid but not in spermatoza.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results confirmed the lack of detection of HCV RNA in semen by PCR- and non-PCR-dependent techniques and support the view that viral contamination in semen remains, if present, at a very low level. Nevertheless, epidemiological studies are required to definitively assess the absence of sexual transmission of HCV
authors.affiliation: Service d'Hépato-gastroentérologie, Hôpital de la Conception, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Debono
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Halfon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bourliere
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gerolami-Santandrea
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gastaldi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Castellani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cartouzou
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Botta-Fridlund
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cau
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gauthier
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D016679:Genome, Viral; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012661:Semen / Q000821:virology*; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000635:transmission; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000821:virology*; D014766:Viremia
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral