Enhanced shedding of cytomegalovirus in semen of human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive homosexual men

Abstract

Site-specific shedding of cytomegalovirus (CMV) was assessed in a longitudinal study of homosexual and bisexual men. At initial testing, CMV was cultured from the semen of 33% (19 of 58) of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic men who were seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at the time of entry into the study, whereas it was cultured from the semen of 17% (10 of 58) of the men who were HIV seronegative. CMV was isolated much more frequently from semen than from urine or throat washing specimens, and it was rarely recovered from stool or blood, regardless of the subject's HIV serostatus. CMV was cultured from the semen of 31% (16 of 52) of the men relatively early after seroconversion to HIV (mean, 12.8 months). CMV was persistently isolated from the semen of a greater proportion of the HIV-seropositive men than from the semen of the HIV-seronegative men during a 4.5-year follow-up period (52 of 110-[47%] and 15 of 58 [26%] men, respectively). There was an increased relative risk for shedding of CMV in semen in association with decreased CD4+ cell numbers and increased levels of serum immunoglobulin A. However, there was no association of CMV shedding with an increased risk for the development of AIDS.

Factors Associated with Cytomegalovirus Infection among Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Seronegative and -Seropositive Women from an Urban Minority Community

“…Among homosexual men with HlV infection, CMV seropositivity rates approach 100% [19,20]. High rates of CMV genitourinary tract shedding occur among HIV-seropositive men [19][20][21][22], and low CD4 cell counts are an independent risk factor for the development of CMV disease in persons with AIDS [3,23].…”

CMVH, HSV et procréation

“…La fr~quence des infections t~ CMVH varie ~galement en fonction de l'age. La transmission de ces virus, qui du fait de leur grande fragilit~ implique des contacts inter-humains ~troits et directs, peut se faire : [15,16]. Ces chiffres sont probablement sous-estim6s en raison de la toxicit6 du liquide s6minal pour les fibroblastes utilis~s pour la culture du virus.…”

Cytomegalovirus seminal shedding in healthy volunteer sperm donors

“…CMV has been frequently detected in semen specimens from HIV‐1‐infected individuals [7,8]. CMV shedding in semen has also been investigated in men seeking fertility evaluation but discrepant results have been reported [9,10].…”