title: Association, prevalence, and clearance of human papillomavirus and antisperm antibodies in infected semen samples from infertile patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate prevalence, association, and clearance of human papillomavirus (HPV) and antisperm antibodies (ASAs) in infected semen samples from infertile patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Andrology and microbiology sections at a university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three groups of subjects: 61 infertile patients with HPV semen infection, 104 noninfected infertile subjects, and 92 control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semen analysis, spermMar test, fluorescence in situ hybridization for sperm aneuploidy and for HPV, and immunofluorescence for HPV 16-L1 and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, and IgM) determination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Association of sperm procedures, HPV sperm infection, sperm aneuploidies, and sperm ASAs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infertile patients with HPV semen infection showed high percentages of ASAs. In these patients HPV sperm infection was associated with lower sperm motility, which was worse in subjects with ASAs. No alterations of sperm chromosomes were observed. To obtain a significant clearance of both HPV sperm infection and ASAs at least 24 months of follow-up were needed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human papillomavirus has been recently suggested to have an important role in male infertility. This study demonstrated that HPV sperm infection can be long lasting and frequently associated with ASAs that may further reduce male fertility. Infertile patients with positive spermMar test results should be considered for investigation for HPV, especially if they are candidates for assisted reproduction.
authors.affiliation: Unit for Human Reproduction Pathology, Section of Clinical Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garolla
authors.affiliation: Unit for Human Reproduction Pathology, Section of Clinical Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Damiano
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pizzol
authors.affiliation: Unit for Human Reproduction Pathology, Section of Clinical Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertoldo
authors.affiliation: Unit for Human Reproduction Pathology, Section of Clinical Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Toni
authors.affiliation: Section of Microbiology and Medical Biotechnologies, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barzon
authors.affiliation: Unit for Human Reproduction Pathology, Section of Clinical Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Italy. Electronic address: carlo.foresta@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Foresta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000378:metabolism; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D015995:Prevalence; D012661:Semen / Q000276:immunology*; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M