title: Impact of chronic viral diseases on semen parameters.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C (HCV) and B (HBV) virus infection on semen parameters. Semen samples were obtained from 27 HCV, 34 HIV, 30 HBV and 41 HCV-HIV-seropositive patients and compared with those of a control population of healthy seronegative subjects. Tests for detection of HIV, HCV and HBV were performed on seminal samples. The sperm concentration was significantly decreased in HCV- and HBV-seropositive males compared to that of controls (P < 0.001). The mean sperm motility (a + b) was significantly decreased in HCV- and HBV-seropositive (P < 0.001) and in HCV-HIV-seropositive subjects (P < 0.05) compared to that of controls. The sperm viability was significantly lower in HCV- and HBV-seropositive men than in controls (P < 0.001). The normal morphology was significantly reduced in HCV-seropositive and HBV-seropositive men (P < 0.05) with respect to that of controls (P < 0.05). The sperm concentration after sperm wash was significantly higher in controls than in HCV-, HIV-, HBV- and HIV-HCV-seropositive men (P < 0.001). We can conclude that HBV- and HCV-infected men have a significantly impaired sperm quality compared with that of controls. The reason for the better sperm quality in our series of HIV- and HCV-HIV-infected men is still under debate. Further investigations in a larger case series are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy. milalorusso@yahoo.it
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lorusso
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palmisano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chironna
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vacca
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Masciandaro
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bassi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Selvaggi Luigi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Depalo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002470:Cell Survival; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000821:virology; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D019562:Viral Load