acyclovir and Infertility--Male

Genital tract infection and inflammation may affect male fertility, causing germ and Sertoli cell loss. We determined if testicular cell transplantation is effective at repairing testicular injury induced by herpes simplex virus (HSV) orchitis. ROSA26 mice were used as donors and the recipients were C57BL/6 mice after HSV testicular inoculation; some of the recipients were treated with the antiviral drug acyclovir (ACV). ACV reduced the amount of HSV antigen in testes on Day 3 after transplantation and enhanced the efficacy of transplantation at Day 30. In recipient testes, donor Sertoli cells formed new seminiferous tubules; significantly more new tubules were observed in the testes of ACV-treated mice compared with mice not treated with ACV (17.8% vs 3.6%). Over half (50.4%) of new tubules in ACV-treated testes contained germ cells and round spermatids were detected in 14.2% of new tubules compared with 15.9% and 5.3% in testes not treated with ACV, respectively. At Day 150 the seminiferous epithelium was completely recovered in some donor tubules and elongated spermatids were observed inside it. Thus, our findings reveal the effectiveness of the combination of antiviral therapy with neonatal testis-cell transplantation for the restoration of spermatogenesis damaged by viral infection.

Topics: Acyclovir; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Antiviral Agents; Cell Transplantation; Combined Modality Therapy; Herpes Genitalis; Immunohistochemistry; Infertility, Male; Kinetics; Male; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Transgenic; Orchitis; Seminiferous Tubules; Sertoli Cells; Simplexvirus; Spermatids; Spermatogenesis; Testis

To determine a possible link between herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV) and infertility.. A specifically designed polymerase chain reaction with nested primers, was developed and used to test for HSV in 153 men and 20 women attending an infertility clinic.. HSV DNA was detected in 37 (24%) out of 153 semen samples and in 11 (55%) out of 20 menstrual blood samples. However, HSV DNA (0%) was not detected in the semen of 16 males with children. A significant association between the evidence for infertility and an HSV positive test was observed in men (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.024), and a stronger effect was found in females after failed in vitro fertilization (Fisher's exact test p = 0.0086).. This is the first report of the detection of herpes simplex virus DNA in semen and menstrual blood. Encouraging preliminary results justify antiviral therapy in case of a positive test.

Topics: Acyclovir; Adult; Antiviral Agents; Base Sequence; DNA Primers; DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; DNA, Viral; Exodeoxyribonucleases; Female; Herpes Simplex; Herpesvirus 1, Equid; Herpesvirus 1, Human; Herpesvirus 3, Human; Humans; Infertility, Female; Infertility, Male; Male; Menstruation; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Semen; Viral Proteins

Topics: Acyclovir; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacterial Infections; Chancroid; Chlamydia Infections; Epididymitis; Escherichia coli Infections; Female; Genital Diseases, Male; Herpes Simplex; Humans; Infertility, Male; Male; Mumps; Orchitis; Prostatitis; Syphilis; Urethritis