Dados do Trabalho

Title

Expanding the Human Seminal Virome Panel: Latest Findings and Implications

Objective

In 2022, we published the first panel to analyze the human seminal virome. In this study, we provide a comprehensive update covering subsequent years (starting from May 8, 2021) to assess the available evidence for the presence of viruses in human semen and their potential impacts on male fertility. Additionally, we revised the panel for the detection of clinically significant viruses in seminal samples.

Methods

To characterize the human seminal virome, we initially identified all studies published from May 8, 2021, to July 25, 2023, as available in the PubMed database without language restrictions. The search was conducted using the following parameters: ("virology"[MeSH Subheading] OR "virology"[All Fields] OR "viruses"[All Fields] OR "viruses"[MeSH Terms] OR "virus"[All Fields] OR "viruses"[All Fields] OR "virus"[All Fields]) AND ("semen"[MeSH Terms] OR "semen"[All Fields] OR "semen s"[All Fields] OR "semens"[All Fields] OR ("sperm s"[All Fields] OR "spermatozoa"[MeSH Terms] OR "spermatozoa"[All Fields] OR "sperm"[All Fields] OR "sperms"[All Fields]) OR "seminal"[All Fields]). The titles, abstracts, and full texts of the identified articles were carefully examined. Only articles discussing the presence of viruses in semen through isolation, amplification, or detection of nucleic acids or specific antigens were considered in this review. Reviews, meta-analyses, and other publications that did not report original clinical data were excluded. Studies conducted in vitro or in animal models and those with unavailable full texts were also not considered. Once the main viruses were identified, the search was expanded to include previously published articles and animal studies to provide more comprehensive insights for each case.

Results

A total of 484 articles were initially identified. After screening by titles, abstracts, and full texts, 55 articles were included. The analysis of selected articles revealed that 23 virus species were identified in human semen during May 2021 and July 2023. The monkeypox virus (MPXV) was the most frequently cited, followed by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and human papillomavirus (HPV). Some of these viruses have been associated with abnormalities in seminal parameters, such as low sperm count, sperm DNA damage, and increased leukocytospermia. Eight viruses were newly identified and were not previously reported among the 27 viruses in the last study. These newly identified viruses include MPXV, Coxsackievirus B (CVB), Toscana virus (TOSV), Kyasanur Forest disease virus (KFDV), Enterovirus 71 C2 (EV-A71), Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), and other polyomaviruses. Based on this data, it is possible to propose an update to the panel of viruses that affect seminal quality. The updated panel includes DNA viruses: MPXV, HPV, Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 (HSV-1/2), Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and Varicella zoster virus (VZV), and RNA viruses: HIV, Zika virus (ZIKV), Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), Hepatitis E virus (HEV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Ebola virus (EBOV). Additionally, adjustments can be made to the panel depending on the epidemiological scenario in each region.

Conclusion

The number of studies investigating viruses that occur in human semen has significantly increased. Through the joint analysis of all these studies, we list the new viruses that were not identified in the previous study. Additionally, we propose an updated panel of viruses recognized for their potential impact on male fertility and health, now including the monkeypox virus. This panel can assist in evaluating semen quality and represents a valuable investigative tool in cases of infertility. Moreover, it can potentially be adapted for routine pathogen detection, tailored to specific geographic or epidemiological scenarios.

Keywords

Viruses; Infertility; Semen; Viral semen infection.