title: High HPV infection prevalence in men from infertile couples and lack of relationship between seminal HPV infection and sperm quality.
abstract: Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the most frequently sexually transmitted viruses and etiological agents of several human cancers. Controversial results of the role of HPV in infertile population on sperm parameters have been published. The aim of this study was to estimate the type-specific prevalence of HPV DNA infection of the external genitalia and semen in 340 Slovenian men from infertile couples and to establish the relationship between seminal HPV DNA infection and abnormal sperm parameters. Self-taken swabs of the entire penile surface and semen samples were collected, and HPV detection and genotyping were performed. HPV DNA was detected in 37.12% of external genitalia and in 13.61% of semen samples with high HPV type concordance of both sampling sites. The most prevalent HPV types in the male external genitalia were HPV-CP6108 and HPV-84. The most prevalent HPV types in semen were HPV-53 and HPV-CP6108. The prevalence of HPV infection between normozoospermic men and men with abnormal sperm parameters did not differ significantly. Sperm quality did not differ significantly between men with seminal HPV infection and uninfected men. In conclusion, the men from infertile couples are equally susceptible to HPV infection regardless of their fertile potential; seminal HPV infection does not impair sperm quality.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Šlajmerjeva 3, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Golob
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Zaloška 4, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3216-7564
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poljak
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Šlajmerjeva 3, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Verdenik
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Šlajmerjeva 3, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Mojca
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kolbezen Simoniti
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Šlajmerjeva 3, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Eda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vrtačnik Bokal
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Šlajmerjeva 3, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Branko
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zorn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005191:Family Characteristics; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000502:physiology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D010413:Penis / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D012661:Semen / Q000821:virology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral