Impact of seminal low-risk human papillomavirus infection on sperm parameters of adult men

Aim: We aimed to evaluate the impact of seminal low-risk human Papillomavirus (LR-HPV) infection on sperm conventional parameters. Material and methods: This was a retrospective case–control study including patients attending to our center for infertility. Patients with evidence for high risk (HR)-HPV infection previously or at the time of enrollment, and/or with severe oligozoospermia (sperm concentration <5 mil/ml) were ruled out. Twenty selected patients positive for a LR-HPV and 20 control subjects with no evidence of HPV DNA and with available results of sperm analysis were consecutively enrolled. Results: Patients positive for LR-HPV had a mean age of 31.0 + 11.0 years, while controls were 35.0 + 8.0-year-old (p >.05). Sperm concentration, total sperm count, sperm progressive motility, morphology, and leukocyte concentration did not differ between patients and controls. However, the prevalence of oligozoospermia was significantly higher in patients than controls (50% vs. 15%). No difference in the prevalence of astenozoospermia (30% vs. 40%) or teratozoospermia (15% vs. 15%) was found. Conclusion: We found no difference in sperm conventional parameters in LR-HPV infected patients than in controls. These data might prompt to research the impact on LR-HPV genotype on male fertility. Particularly, evidence on sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) and pregnancy outcome is needed.