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Can hepatitis B virus DNA in semen be predicted by serum levels of hepatitis B virus DNA , HB eAg, and HB sAg in chronically infected men from infertile couples?
Author(s) -
Fei Q.J.,
Yang X.D.,
Ni W.H.,
Pan C.S.,
Huang X.F.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
andrology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.947
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 2047-2927
pISSN - 2047-2919
DOI - 10.1111/andr.12021
Subject(s) - hbsag , hepatitis b virus , hbeag , semen , virology , medicine , hepatitis b , virus , immunology , andrology
Summary Hepatitis B virus ( HBV ) in semen is important for father‐to‐child transmission of HBV and has adverse effects on sperm quality. However, risk factors associated with HBV in semen remain unclear. Serum HBV DNA and hepatitis B e antigen ( HB eAg) levels may pose a risk on HBV in semen. This study aims to examine whether serum HBV DNA , HB eAg, and hepatitis B surface antigen ( HB sAg) level were associated with HBV DNA in semen. 151 male patients chronically infected with HBV from infertile couples were included. Serum HB sAg and HB eAg were determined using an electrochemiluminescence immune assay ( ECLIA ). Serum and seminal plasma HBV DNA were detected by the QIAGEN Real‐Time HBV DNA assay. Of 151 patients, 143 (94.7%) were serum HBV DNA ‐positive and 65 (43.0%) were seminal plasma HBV DNA ‐positive. Serum HBV DNA and HB eAg level of seminal plasma HBV DNA ‐positive patients were significantly higher ( p < 0.001) as compared with those of seminal plasma HBV DNA ‐negative patients, HB sAg level of seminal plasma HBV DNA ‐positive patients was significantly lower ( p < 0.001) compared with that of seminal plasma HBV DNA ‐negative patients. The best serum HBV DNA , HB eAg, and HB sAg value for discriminating between seminal plasma HBV DNA ‐positive and HBV DNA ‐negative patients were ≥6.9 log 10 IU / mL (sensitivity 100.0%, specificity 90.7%), >14.8 S/ CO (sensitivity 96.9%, specificity 81.5%), and <1791.5 S/ CO (sensitivity 81.5%, specificity 81.2%), respectively. The combination of serum HBV DNA and HB eAg had high diagnostic sensitivity (100.0%) and specificity (95.4%) for the presence of HBV DNA in semen. As such, these serum markers especially the combination of HBV DNA and HB eAg are useful predictors of the presence of HBV DNA in semen in HBV chronically infected men from infertile couples.