title: Detection of oncogenic human papillomavirus genotypes on spermatozoa from male partners of infertile couples.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) sperm infection and its correlation with sperm parameters in patients who attended a fertility clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-affiliated reproductive medicine clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 308 male partners of couples undergoing in vitro fertilization techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specimens of semen were collected from all patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sperm parameters were evaluated according to the World Health Organization manual. The presence of HPV DNA was researched by the combined use of two HPV assays and a highly sensitive nested polymerase chain reaction assay followed by HPV genotyping. To examine whether HPV was associated with the sperm, in situ hybridization (ISH) analysis was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results of HPV investigation were compared with sperm parameters and ISH analysis. Twenty-four out of 308 semen samples (7.8%) were HPV DNA positive, but HPV infection did not seem to affect semen quality. Moreover, ISH revealed a clear HPV localization at the equatorial region of sperm head in infected samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oncogenic HPV genotypes were detected on spermatozoa from asymptomatic subjects, but a role of the infection in male infertility was not demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze per la Promozione della Salute e Materno Infantile "G. d'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. Electronic address: rosaria.schillaci@unipa.it.
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schillaci
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Capra
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bellavia
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ruvolo
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scazzone
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Venezia
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perino
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005298:Fertility; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005838:Genotype; D061809:Human Papillomavirus DNA Tests / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D013076:Sperm Count; D013077:Sperm Head / Q000821:virology; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: HPV infection; ICSI; IVF; semen parameters