Aim: To investigate the effect of chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) infection on semen parameters of males with proven fertility. Material & methods: 61 fertile men with CHB infection and a control group of 42 HBV-negative fertile men were assessed for serum and semen HBV viral loads by quantitative real-time PCR, complete semen analysis, hypo-osmotic swelling test, seminal total peroxide, total antioxidant capacity assay and sperm DNA integrity evaluation. Results: CHB men demonstrated significantly lower sperm motility, sperm viability and sperm DNA integrity, seminal total antioxidant capacity assay and significantly increased seminal total peroxide and oxidative stress index compared with controls. CHB cases with positive semen HBV DNA showed a significant increase in seminal total peroxide and oxidative stress index compared with CHB cases with negative semen HBV DNA. Conclusion: CHB has a negative burden on seminal parameters in fertile men.

Schistosomiasis is blood-dwelling parasites of the genus Schistosoma, mainly S. mansoni, S. japonicum and S. haematobium. Praziquantel ® (PZQ) is the drug of choice for treatment but, its efficacy decreased as drug resistant strains emerged due to widespread usages. This study assessed the in-vivo anti-schistosomal effects of Tamoxifen ® (TAM) compared to praziquantel on experimental S. mansoni-infected mice regarding worm burden, liver enzymes status, cytokines change, histopathological study and the activities of some antioxidants. Mice were infected by ~80±10 cercariae followed by a single oral dose with either praziquantel or tamoxifen 42 days post-infection. The treated mice showed a reduction in worm burden, a decrease in egg load in liver and intestine, a decrease in levels of AST, ALT, interferon-gamma, interleukin 4, and interleukin 10 but, with a significant activities increase of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathiones-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and Catalase (CAT) and decrease in granuloma size than infected non-treated mice.

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