Viruses in semen and male genital tissues--consequences for the reproductive system and therapeutic perspectives

Abstract

Sexually transmissible diseases such as AIDS have renewed the attention paid to viruses capable of infecting the male genital tract. The presence of viruses at this level may not only lead to their transmission and spread via semen but may also impact on male fertility and/or represent a potential cause of genital organ cancers. This review summarizes the currently available data on the various viruses identified in the human semen and male reproductive tract, their distribution in tissues and fluids, their possible cell targets and the functional consequences of their infectivity on the reproductive and endocrine systems. The use of medically assisted reproduction as a therapeutic tool in serodiscordant couples, as well as treatment strategies that need to be developed in order to eradicate these viruses from the male genital tract, are discussed.