HPV infection in semen: results from a new molecular approach

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the agent of the most common sexually transmitted diseases causing a variety of clinical manifestations ranging from warts to cancer. Oncogenic HPV infection is the major cause of cervical cancer and less frequently of penile cancers. Its presence in semen is widely kno...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Epidemiology and infection 2019-01, Vol.147, p.e177-e177, Article e177
Main Authors: Capra, G, Schillaci, R, Bosco, L, Roccheri, M C, Perino, A, Ragusa, M A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Cancer
Cervical cancer
Cervix
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Disease transmission
DNA
DNA, Viral - analysis
Fertility
Genomes
Genotype
Genotype & phenotype
Genotypes
Human papillomavirus
Humans
Immunization
Infections
Infectious diseases
Infertility
Italy - epidemiology
Laboratories
Localization
Male
Middle Aged
Motility
Original Paper
Papillomaviridae - genetics
Papillomaviridae - isolation & purification
Papillomavirus Infections - epidemiology
Papillomavirus Infections - virology
Patients
Penis
Prevalence
Recombination
Semen
Semen - virology
Sexually transmitted diseases
Somatic cells
Sperm
Spermatozoa
STD
Studies
Vaccines
Virology
Viruses
Warts
Womens health
Young Adult
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Summary:Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the agent of the most common sexually transmitted diseases causing a variety of clinical manifestations ranging from warts to cancer. Oncogenic HPV infection is the major cause of cervical cancer and less frequently of penile cancers. Its presence in semen is widely known, but the effects on fertility are still controversial. We developed a new approach to evaluate virus localisation in the different semen components. We analysed also the specific genotype localisation and viral DNA quantity by qPCR. Results show that HPV DNA can be identified in every fraction of semen: spermatozoa, somatic cells and seminal plasma. Different samples can contain the HPV DNA in different fractions and several HPV genotypes can be found in the same fraction. Additionally, different fractions may contain multiple HPV genotypes in different relative quantity. We analysed the wholeness of HPV DNA in sperm cells by qPCR. In one sample more than half of viral genomes were defective, suggesting a possible recombination event. The new method allows to easily distinguish different sperm infections and to observe the possible effects on semen. The data support the proposed role of HPV in decreased fertility and prompt new possible consequences of the infection in semen.
ISSN:0950-2688
1469-4409
DOI:10.1017/S0950268819000621