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Comparative Study
. 2005 Nov 4;19(16):1827-35.
doi: 10.1097/01.aids.0000189847.98569.2d.

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

Aurélie Briat  1 , Emmanuel Dulioust, Julie Galimand, Hélène Fontaine, Marie-Laure Chaix, Hélène Letur-Könirsch, Stanislas Pol, Pierre Jouannet, Christine Rouzioux, Marianne Leruez-Ville
Affiliations
Comparative Study

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

Aurélie Briat et al. AIDS. .

Abstract

Objective: 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.

Design: 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.

Methods: 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.

Results: 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).

Conclusions: 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.

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