HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in men and women who have an active sex life, 25% of sexually active people are infected by genital HPV, 50% will be infected at least once in their life.
Classified in the Papillomaviridae family, it contains 29 genera and 5 belong to the human papilloma. There are more than 200 genotypes described, each of them classified according to their level of impact on human health as high risk and lower risk.
High risk 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66 and 68., presenting malignant transformation of cells in the cervix, vagina, vulva, anus, penis, mouth and throat.
Lower risk: 6, 11, 26, 30, 32, 34, 40, 42, 43, 44, 53, 54, 55, 57, 61, 62, 64, 67, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 81 , 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 89 and 90, showing symptoms such as genital warts and respiratory papillomatosis.
According to different investigations, the high-risk human papillomavirus is associated with male infertility, correlating with seminal quality and sperm DNA damage. Still, the impact of HPV infection on seminal parameters is controversial.
HPV is commonly present in semen samples, with 16% reported in infertile populations and 10% in men from the general population. Mainly affecting sperm motility, viscosity, pH and the number of leukocytes in addition to sperm DNA fragmentation.
A study was carried out in Milan, Italy in which different researchers wanted to test the correlation of men with male infertility due to high-risk HPV, and its relationship with alterations in progressive motility and damage in the sperm fragmentation index, evaluating other variables that are known to be related to changes in seminal quality.
They evaluated 729 infertile men (age 19–50 years), in a period of September 2014 – September 2017. Each one underwent a clinical evaluation with a detailed medical history, a physical examination that included the penile and anogenital region. The individual BMI, testicular volume, serum hormone levels in the blood were included, and through a spermogram following the reference values of the WHO-2010, the following seminal parameters were evaluated, volume, concentration, progressive motility, morphology, No. Leukocytes and the SDF Index. As well as a PCR technique to detect HPV virus in male patients who were included in the study, agreeing to their participation by signing an informed consent.
For a good analysis of this study, patients with the following characteristics were excluded; Presence of Symptoms of genitourinary infections, history of vasectomy, infertility treatment in the previous year, and a positive semen culture (including Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Mycoplasma parvum, and common uropathogens).
Through different statistical tests such as the Mann-Whitney & Chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis test and linear regression analysis. (UVA & MVA). They were able to make a correlation between the variables to be studied and the alteration presented by the seminal samples of men with high-risk HPV, presenting the following as final results:
In general, some men with male infertility had high-risk HPV + and low-risk HPV +. HPV16 was the most common type, followed by HPV43, HPV56, and HPV42. No differences were found in terms of clinical and hormonal characteristics between patients with or without seminal HPV. Progressive sperm motility was significantly lower while SDF values were higher in men with HPV + compared to those without HPV.
In particular, men with high-risk HPV + had lower progressive sperm motility and higher SDF values than those with a negative HPV test. Univariate analysis showed that high-risk HPV + was associated with impaired progressive sperm motility and SDF values. In multivariate analysis, age, FSH levels, and testicular volume were significantly associated with the progressive motility of impaired sperm. In contrast, BMI, CHF, smoking habits, and HPV status were not. Only age and FSH were significantly associated with SDF.
High-risk human papillomavirus in semen is associated with poor progressive sperm motility and a high rate of sperm DNA fragmentation in infertile men.
We at IREGA Acapulco have all the necessary and advanced studies for the diagnosis of male infertility. As is the case of PCR for HPV, which is a study where it detects if there is an HPV infection and its serotype, knowing in turn if it is high or low risk. Go to your doctor who specializes in reproduction, for better advice.
Reference:
Boeri, L., Capogrosso, P., Ventimiglia, E., Pederzoli, F., Cazzaniga, W., Chierigo, F.,… and Montorsi, F. (2019). High-risk human papillomavirus in semen is associated with poor progressive sperm motility and a high rate of sperm DNA fragmentation in infertile men. Human Reproduction, 34 (2), 209-217.an health as high risk and lower risk.