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Assessment of antisperm antibodies in a sample of Egyptian patients with hepatitis C virus infection
Author(s) -
Hussein T. M.,
Elneily D.,
Eid A. A.,
AbouElKhier H.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1111/and.12664
Subject(s) - semen , hepatitis c virus , antibody , sperm motility , medicine , immunology , sperm , semen analysis , virus , biology , infertility , andrology , pregnancy , genetics
Summary Association of hepatitis C virus ( HCV ) with autoimmune phenomena and impaired semen parameters has been previously reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of HCV infection on the development of antisperm antibodies ( ASA s) in HCV ‐positive males. The study was conducted on 30 HCV ‐infected individuals and 30 healthy control subjects. In both patients and control groups, liver enzymes and reproductive hormones were measured; computer‐assisted semen analysis ( CASA ) was performed; HCV ‐ RNA in serum was measured and IgG and IgA ASA s in semen were determined. Free testosterone, sperm concentration, progressive and total motility were significantly lower in HCV patients than in the control group, whereas ASA s of the IgG and IgA classes were significantly higher in HCV patients. However, correlations between viral load and the examined semen parameters and ASA s were nonsignificant. In conclusion, HCV may be responsible for the increased ASA s detected in HCV patients in the present study, possibly providing another plausible explanation for the decreased sperm motility reported in HCV patients. These findings could be of value in fertility management of HCV patients.