Prevalence of human herpes virus types 1-7 in the semen of men attending an infertility clinic and correlation with semen parameters.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of herpes viruses in the semen of an asymptomatic male cohort with and without infertility problems and its association with altered semen parameters.


METHODS
A prospective randomized study.


METHODS
Medical school and IVF clinic.


METHODS
One hundred seventy-two male patients undergoing routine semen analysis: 80 with normal semen parameters (control group) and 92 with abnormal semen parameters.


METHODS
Semen samples were collected by masturbation.


METHODS
The DNA from the Herpesviridae family (herpes simplex virus 1 [HSV-1], herpes simplex virus 2 [HSV-2], Varicella zoster virus [VZV], Epstein-Barr virus [EBV], cytomegalovirus [CMV], human herpes virus type 6 [HHV-6], human herpes virus type 7 [HHV-7]) and routine semen parameters.


RESULTS
Viral DNA was detected in 143/172 (83.1%) of the total samples for at least one herpes virus: HSV-1, 2.5%; VZV, 1.2%; EBV, 45%; CMV, 62.5%; HHV-6, 70%; HHV-7, 0% in the normal semen samples and HSV-1, 2.1%; VZV, 3.2%; EBV, 39.1%; CMV, 56.5%; HHV-6, 66.3%; HHV-7, 0% in the abnormal semen samples. No association was found between the presence of viral DNA and semen parameters. Interestingly, a statistical significance between leukocytospermia and the presence of EBV DNA was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
The DNA of herpes viruses is frequently detected in the semen of asymptomatic fertile and infertile male patients. Further studies are required to investigate the role of herpes viruses in male factor infertility.
Laboratory of Human Reproduction, IVF Clinic, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.
Eirini
E
Neofytou
George
G
Sourvinos
Maria
M
Asmarianaki
Demetrios A
DA
Spandidos
Antonios
A
Makrigiannakis
D053713:Azoospermia / Q000821:virology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016199:Herpesvirus 7, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008418:Masturbation; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000821:virology; D012016:Reference Values; D012661:Semen / Q000821:virology*
D004279:DNA, Viral