title: Markers of hepatitis delta virus infection can be detected in follicular fluid and semen.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a satellite of HBV and needs this latter's envelope for its morphogenesis and propagation. An estimated 5-20% of HBV-infected patients are also infected with HDV. No studies have ever been performed to determine the presence of HDV in follicular fluid (FF) and semen of HDV-infected patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the presence of HDV markers in the FF or in the semen of two HDV-infected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two unrelated HDV-infected patients, a woman and a man pursuing in vitro fertilization (IVF), participated in this study. FF was collected after analysis of oocyte retrieval. The supernatant of seminal plasma (SP) and the final pellet (FP) were fractionated from freshly ejaculated semen. Serological and molecular markers of HDV infection were searched for in these different samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The woman was infected with an HDV-7 genotype strain and her HDV plasma viral load (VL) was 6 log copies/mL. HDV antibodies and RNA were also detected in the FF, however the RNA VL value there was lower by more than 4 log. The man was infected with an HDV-1 strain and his plasma VL was 6.7 log copies/mL. Total anti-HDV antibodies were positive in the serum, in the SP and in the FP, while IgM were detected only in the serum. However, HDV RNA was negative in the SP and in the FP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HDV markers can be found in the follicular fluid or in the semen of infected patients.
authors: Laboratory of Bacteriology, Virology and Hygiene, University Hospital of Paris Seine-Saint-Denis, Avicenne, Associated with the National Reference Centre for Viral Hepatitis B, C and Delta in France, 125 rue de Stalingrad, Bobigny, France.
authors: Wael
authors: W
authors: Mansour
authors: Bichat Claude Bernard Hospital, Reproductive Biology Department, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018 Paris, France; Paris Diderot University, 5 rue Thomas Mann, 75013 Paris, France.
authors: Mathilde
authors: M
authors: Lemoine
authors: Laboratory of Bacteriology, Virology and Hygiene, University Hospital of Paris Seine-Saint-Denis, Avicenne, Associated with the National Reference Centre for Viral Hepatitis B, C and Delta in France, 125 rue de Stalingrad, Bobigny, France.
authors: Fernando
authors: F
authors: Neri Pinto
authors: Bichat Claude Bernard Hospital, Reproductive Biology Department, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018 Paris, France; Paris Diderot University, 5 rue Thomas Mann, 75013 Paris, France.
authors: Marie Astrid
authors: MA
authors: Llabador de Royer
authors: Laboratory of Bacteriology, Virology and Hygiene, University Hospital of Paris Seine-Saint-Denis, Avicenne, Associated with the National Reference Centre for Viral Hepatitis B, C and Delta in France, 125 rue de Stalingrad, Bobigny, France.
authors: Frédéric
authors: F
authors: Le Gal
authors: Bichat Claude Bernard University Hospital, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine Department, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018 Paris, France.
authors: Chadi
authors: C
authors: Yazbeck
authors: Bichat Claude Bernard Hospital, Reproductive Biology Department, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018 Paris, France; Paris Diderot University, 5 rue Thomas Mann, 75013 Paris, France. Electronic address: catherine.patrat@bch.aphp.fr.
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Patrat
authors: Laboratory of Bacteriology, Virology and Hygiene, University Hospital of Paris Seine-Saint-Denis, Avicenne, Associated with the National Reference Centre for Viral Hepatitis B, C and Delta in France, 125 rue de Stalingrad, Bobigny, France. Electronic address: emmanuel.gordien@avc.aphp.fr.
authors: Emmanuel
authors: E
authors: Gordien
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000821:virology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Follicular fluid; HBV; HDV; Semen