[Effects of hepatitis B virus on human semen parameters and sperm DNA integrity].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in semen on human semen parameters and sperm DNA integrity.


METHODS
We detected HBV DNA in the semen samples of 153 HBsAg-seropositive patients by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and calculated the sperm nuclear DNA fragmentation index (DFI) by sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) assay. We compared the semen parameters between the HBV DNA-positive group (A, n = 43) and HBV DNA-negative group (B, n = 110) and analyzed the correlation of sperm DFI with the number of HBV DNA copies in the semen.


RESULTS
HBV DNA was detected in 43 (28.1%) of the 153 semen samples. No statistically significant differences were observed in age, semen volume and sperm concentration between groups A and B (P >0.05). Compared with group B, group A showed significantly decreased sperm viability ([58.0 +/- 18.8]% vs [51.4 +/-17.1]%, P<0.05), progressively motile sperm ([29.6 +/- 13.3]% vs [24.5 +/- 10.1]%, P<0.05), average straight-line velocity ([23.7 +/- 4.0] microm/s vs [19.9 +/- 4.5 ] microm/s, P<0.01) and average path velocity ([26.5 +/- 7.0] microm/s vs [23.4 +/- 5.3] microm/s, P<0.01), but remarkably decreased sperm DFI ([19.3 +/- 8.0]% vs [24.2 +/- 9.4]%, P<0.01). The number of HBV DNA copies in semen exhibited a significant positive correlation with sperm DFI (r = 0.819, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
HBV DNA in semen is not significantly associated with the number of sperm, but may affect sperm viability, velocity and DFI. There is a load-effect relationship between the number of HBV DNA copies in semen and sperm nuclear DNA integrity.
Department of Reproductive Healthcare, Shenzhen Bao'an Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518133, China. liuhoo1@sina.com
Hao
H
Liu
Chun-Hui
CH
Geng
Wei
W
Wang
Ke-Lin
KL
Xiao
Li-Kuan
LK
Xiong
Yong-Xiang
YX
Huang
Xiao-Ling
XL
Yang
Jin
J
Li
D000328:Adult; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013076:Sperm Count; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000821:virology*
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens