MALE GENITAL INFECTION BY HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV): SEMEN QUALITY, CO-INFECTIONS PRESENCE AND INFLAMMATORY MARKERS

PAIRA, DANIELA A.; TISSERA, ANDREA D.; CUFFINI, CECILIA; OLIVERA, CAROLINA; MOLINA, ROSA I.; MOTRICH, RUBEN D.; SILVERA-RUIZ, SILENE M.; OLMEDO, JOSE J.; RIVERO, VIRGINIA E.

Congreso; REUNIÓN DE SOCIEDADES DE BIOCIENCIAS 2020; 2020

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) worldwide. The HPV infection in men, its fertility consequences and the presence of concomitant STIs, is largely unknown. This study aimed to characterize the local epidemiology of low-risk (LR) and high-risk (HR) HPV of young adult men from Cordoba, Argentina, further analyzing its relationship with other STIs, seminal quality and their immune response. Semen and penile swabs specimens were obtained from 109 male patients attending to the andrology clinic. HPV detection and genotyping were performed by PCR-RFLP analysis. C. trachomatis (Ct), N. gonorrhoeae, T. pallidum, M. genitalium, T. vaginalis, M. hominis, U. urealyticum, HSV1 and HSV2 were analyzed by PCR. Seminal plasma cytokines were quantified by ELISA and semen leukocytes analyzed by flow cytometry. Semen analysis was assessed according to the WHO guidelines. Non-parametric tests and Pearson?s Chi-square test were performed for statistical analysis. Sixty-one percent of the samples were positive for at least one pathogen. An overall prevalence of HPV infection of 8% (9/109) was found. 56% of these positive cases were LR-HPV and 22% HRHPV. Remarkably, HPV-6 was the most frequently detected genotype (44%). Other genotypes found were HPV-11, HPV-33 and HPV26/69/66. Strikingly, 67% of HPV+ patients were also positive for Ct compared to 37% of HPV- patients, but this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.081). No significant differences were found in semen quality, leukocytospermia and IFNɣ, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-10, IL-17 or IL-6 levels between HPV+ and HPV- groups. Our study describes the genotype-specific prevalence of HPV genital infection among young adult men from Cordoba, Argentina. No significant semen quality alterations or local inflammation markers were associated with HPV. The high prevalence of STIs found, highlight the need for its routine screening in this population.