Hepatitis C virus in the semen of men coinfected with HIV-1 : prevalence and origin

• Published in: AIDS (London) Vol. 19; no. 16; pp. 1827 - 1835
• Main Authors: BRIAT, Aurélie, DULIOUST, Emmanuel, GALIMAND, Julie, FONTAINE, Hélène, CHAIX, Marie-Laure, LETUR-KÖNIRSCH, Hélène, POL, Stanislas, JOUANNET, Pierre, ROUZIOUX, Christine, LERUEZ-VILLE, Marianne
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 04.11.2005
• Subjects: Adult; AIDS/HIV; Biological and medical sciences; Epidemiology. Vaccinations; General aspects; Hepacivirus - isolation & purification; Hepatitis C virus; Hepatitis C, Chronic - complications; Hepatitis C, Chronic - virology; HIV Infections - complications; HIV Infections - virology; HIV-1; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Prospective Studies; RNA, Viral - isolation & purification; Semen - virology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Viral hepatitis; HIV-1; Mixed infection; Prevalence; HIV-1 virus; Hepatic disease; Male; Epidemiology; Viral hepatitis C; Human; Immunopathology; Semen; compartmentalization; sexual transmission; Retroviridae; AIDS; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus; Infection; Virus; Sexually transmitted disease; Viral disease; Digestive diseases; HCV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Flaviviridae; Hepatitis C virus; Hepacivirus; coinfection
• ISSN: 0269-9370; 1473-5571
• DOI: 10.1097/01.aids.0000189847.98569.2d

To compare the prevalence of hepatitis C (HCV) RNA in semen from men infected with HCV and those coinfected with HIV-1/HCV and to study the origin of HCV shed in semen. Two prospective studies (HC EP09 and BINECO) included 120 HCV-positive men, 82 coinfected with HIV-1; all had positive HCV RNA detection in blood. Paired blood and semen samples were collected for HCV RNA detection and quantification in seminal plasma and in blood serum; repeated semen samples were obtained for 45 men. HCV RNA was sought in spermatozoa and non-sperm cells. Phylogenetic analysis of the HVR-1 region of HCV compared the quasispecies in blood serum and seminal plasma of two men. HCV RNA was more frequently found in the semen of men coinfected with HIV-1 (37.8%) than in those with only HCV infection (18.4%) (P = 0.033). HCV RNA detection in semen was intermittent and was positive in at least one semen sample of 42.8% of HIV-1/HCV-coinfected men who provided repeated samples. Men with HCV-positive semen had significantly higher HCV load in blood than men with HCV-negative semen (P = 0.038). Phylogenetic comparison of HCV quasispecies in blood and in semen showed no evidence of HCV replication in genital leukocytes; however, a phenetic structure was observed between compartments (P < 0.001). HCV particles in semen originate from passive passage from blood, with preferential transfer of some variants. Nearly half of HIV-1/HCV-coinfected men may intermittently harbour HCV in their semen. Recommendations of protected sex for HIV-infected individuals should be reinforced.