The presence of human papillomavirus in semen does not affect the integrity of sperm DNA

It remains unknown whether human papillomaviruses (HPVs) in semen affect sperm DNA integrity. We investigated whether the presence of these viruses in semen was associated with an elevated sperm DNA fragmentation index. Semen samples of 22 normozoospermic patients undergoing infertility treatment, nine fertile donors and seven fertile men with a risk of HPV infection (genital warts or condylomas) were included in the study. The samples were examined by an INNO-LiPA test PCR-based reverse hybridisation array that identifies 28 types of HPVs as simple or multiple infections. Sperm DNA integrity was determined by sperm chromatin dispersion assay (SCD). Our preliminary findings demonstrate an increase in HPV infection in infertile men with respect to fertile men. However, the sperm DNA fragmentation index was not increased in semen containing these viruses.