Semen quality and HIV RNA level in HIV/AIDS male patients after treated by highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Xun-rong Zhu; Ling-hua LI; Li-xin Fan; Bao-jin LI; Yun Lan; Feng LI; Shi-ling Zheng; Huo-lin Zhong; Rui-ying HE; Liu-ping Yang

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Semen quality and HIV RNA level in HIV/AIDS male patients after treated by highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Author: Xun-Rong ZHU ¹ ; Ling-Hua LI ² ; Li-Xin FAN ¹ ; Bao-Jin LI ³ ; Yun LAN ⁴ ; Feng LI ⁴ ; Shi-Ling ZHENG ⁴ ; Huo-Lin ZHONG ² ; Rui-Ying HE ⁴ ; Liu-Ping YANG ¹
Author Information

1. Department of Urology, Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510070, China.
2. Department of Infectious Diseases, Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510070, China.
3. Department of Surgery, Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510070, China.
4. Research Institute for Communicable Diseases, Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510070, China.
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: semen; seminal HIV RNA; total sperm motility; AIDS
MeSH: Adult; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Female; Flow Cytometry; HIV Infections; drug therapy; virology; Humans; Male; Pregnancy; RNA, Viral; analysis; Semen; Semen Analysis; Sperm Count; Sperm Motility; Spermatozoa; Young Adult
From: National Journal of Andrology 2018;24(5):414-418
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract:
ObjectiveTo evaluate the semen quality of the HIV/AIDS male patients after treated by the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and their potential of transmitting HIV/AIDS and provide some evidence for this cohort of males who wish for parenthood.
METHODSWe collected semen samples from 20 HIV/AIDS male patients who had been treated by HAART for over 6 months and wished for parenthood. We examined sperm concentration, viability and total motility and the percentage of morphologically normal sperm (MNS) using the computer-assisted semen analysis system, measured the HIV-1 RNA loads in the semen by the Cobas Amplicor Monitor test, and counted CD4+ T cells in the peripheral blood by flow cytometry.
RESULTSThe patients were aged 25－40 (30.7 ± 5.05) years. After treated by HAART for 6－26 (14.24 ± 12.26) months, the count of blood CD4+ T cells was significantly increased (341－1 058 ［535.76 ± 212.021］ /μl) in comparison with the baseline (226－965 ［422.38 ± 200.86］ /μl). Compared with the normal value, the semen volume was increased except in 1 case (≥2 ml) while total sperm motility was decreased in 13 cases (≥40%), and so were sperm concentration in 2 cases (≥15 × 106 / ml), sperm viability in 5 (58%), the percentage of progressively motile sperm in 18 (≥32%), and the percentage of MNS in 6 (≤4%). HIV-1 RNA in the peripheral blood was <20 copies/mL in all the cases and that in the seminal plasma was also <20 copies/ml in 18 cases but >20 copies/mL in the other 2 (［4.70 × 101］ and ［2.2 × 102］ copies/ml, respectively). Of the 4 couples that had sex without protective measures for over 6 months, all the 4 female partners exhibited negative HIV antibodies in regular follow-up examinations and 1 achieved spontaneous pregnancy and healthy birth, with negative HIV-1 RNA in both the mother and the baby.
CONCLUSIONSThe HIV RNA level is higher in the semen than in the blood of the HIV/AIDS male patients after HAART, which indicates the potential risk of their semen transmitting HIV/AIDS to their female partners. Their sperm concentration and total sperm motility are lower than the normal value, which suggests a decreased fertility.