title: Sperm washing and virus nucleic acid detection to reduce HIV and hepatitis C virus transmission in serodiscordant couples wishing to have children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Use of a motile spermatozoa isolation process was assessed for reducing the transmission of HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) during artificial insemination in HIV-serodiscordant couples in which the man is infected.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two HIV-1-infected clinically asymptomatic men, having a median CD4 cell count of 396 x 10(6)/l and a median blood plasma HIV-1 RNA content of 414 copies/ml. Of these, 16 were infected with both HIV and HCV.
  
  
  METHODS
  Motile spermatozoa were isolated from 51 semen samples by density gradient and 'swim-up'. HIV-1 and HCV genomes were detected and quantified in the blood plasma and seminal plasma, and detected in seminal cell fractions obtained during spermatozoa isolation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HIV-1 RNA was detected in 30% of seminal plasma samples. HIV-1 genomes were found in 18% of seminal cell samples, but in none of the motile spermatozoa fractions after 'swim-up'. There was no correlation between the HIV-1 RNA concentrations in the blood and seminal plasma. HIV-1 genome was detected intermittently in patients who gave more than one sample. HCV RNA was detected in 20% of seminal plasma samples from HCV viraemic patients, but in no seminal cells or motile spermatozoa fractions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Purification of motile spermatozoa by density gradient plus 'swim-up' reduced the HIV-1 and HCV genomes in the semen of infected individuals to undetectable levels. This method, associated with a standardized virus assay, could be useful for serodiscordant couples (males infected) who wish to have children.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Virologie, Hôpital Purpan, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pasquier
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daudin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Righi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berges
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thauvin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berrebi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Massip
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Puel
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bujan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Izopet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005306:Fertilization; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007315:Insemination, Artificial; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012661:Semen / Q000821:virology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000821:virology*; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014766:Viremia
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral