Hepatitis C virus RNA detection in different semen fractions of HCV/HIV-1 co-infected men by nested PCR.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate, by nested PCR, the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in seminal plasma in different semen fractions of HCV/HIV-1 co-infected men. STUDY DESIGN: This study enrolled 16 HCV/HIV-1 infected men. A total of 16 seminal samples and 16 blood samples were tested for the presence of HCV-RNA. HCV-RNA in blood plasma was quantified by Amplicor HCV Monitor Test version 2.0 and HCV-RNA detection in seminal plasma, non-spermatozoa cells (NSCs), spermatozoa pellet and swim-up was investigated by nested PCR. RESULTS: Thirteen blood plasma samples were positive for HCV-RNA. HCV-RNA was detectable in seminal plasma and in non-sperm cells, but not detectable in spermatozoa samples, neither before nor after swim-up. One of the two patients whose seminal plasma tested positive at nested PCR had undetectable HCV virus in blood plasma. CONCLUSIONS: HCV-RNA can be found in seminal plasma and non-sperm cells but not in spermatozoa before and after swim-up. We observed HCV-RNA in the semen of an aviremic man. According to these findings we suggest that sperm washing should be performed for each semen sample of HCV patients before assisted reproduction techniques.

Safety of sperm washing and ART outcome in 741 HIV-1-serodiscordant couples.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the safety of sperm washing and assisted reproduction technique (ART) outcome offered to serodiscordant couples with a human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1)-positive male. METHODS: Sperm washing was performed and checked by RT-PCR on each semen sample before its fresh usage. Intrauterine insemination (IUI) or IFV/ICSI was offered according to fertility profile of each couple. Non-infected women underwent HIV testing 2 weeks before each procedure and for up to 6 months after. RESULTS: Seven hundred and forty-one couples entered the study of a possible 2011 serodiscordant couples counselled over 4 years. Superovulation and IUI were performed in 581 couples, where the pregnancy rate per cycle and pregnancy rate per couple were 19 and 78%, respectively, with multiple pregnancy rate being 4%. One hundred and sixty couples were treated by IVF/ICSI, where pregnancy rate per cycle and per couple were 22 and 41%, respectively, with multiple pregnancy rate being 10%. All female partners were still HIV-1 negative at follow-up. CONCLUSION: Sperm washing within a programme of reproductive counselling was proved to be safe in this large series of serodiscordant couples. The overall pregnancy rate (70.3%), independent of the procedure used (IUI or IVF/ICSI), justifies the effort of the medical team in setting up and implementing dedicated centres and of the individual patient in seeking a safe pregnancy.

An analysis of urban collisions using an artificial intelligence model.

Traditional studies on road accidents estimate the effect of variables (such as vehicular flows, road geometry, vehicular characteristics), and the calculation of the number of accidents. A descriptive statistical analysis of the accidents (those used in the model) over the period 1992-1995 is proposed. The paper describes an alternative method based on the use of artificial neural networks (ANN) in order to work out a model that relates to the analysis of vehicular accidents in Milan. The degree of danger of urban intersections using different scenarios is quantified by the ANN model. Methodology is the first result, which allows us to tackle the modelling of urban vehicular accidents by the innovative use of ANN. Other results deal with model outputs: intersection complexity may determine a higher accident index depending on the regulation of intersection. The highest index for running over of pedestrian occurs at non-signalised intersections at night-time.

Absence of hepatitis C virus and detection of hepatitis G virus/GB virus C RNA sequences in the semen of infected men.

The identification of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in semen remains controversial and that of hepatitis G virus (HGV) or GB virus C (GBV-C) has never been investigated. Serum and semen from 90 anti-HCV-positive drug users were tested (27 infected with HIV) for HCV and HGV/GBV-C RNAs by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, hybridization, and sequence analysis. Semen was processed into round cells, seminal plasma, and spermatozoa. Fifty-six patients were HCV-viremic, but HCV-RNA was not identified in their seminal fractions. However, PCR inhibitors were found in the semen of 34 of these men. Twenty-eight patients had HGV/GBV-C RNA in their blood and for 24 of them, ejaculates were available for analysis. HGV/GBV-C RNA was found in the seminal plasma of 6 of 12 samples free from PCR inhibitors. These results agree with the low risk of sexual transfer of HCV and provide preliminary evidence for the presence of HGV/GBV-C in semen.

Insemination of HIV-negative women with processed semen of HIV-positive partners.

Many HIV-discordant couples want to have children so much that they are willing to abandon condom-protected sexual intercourse irrespective of the risks. Previous testing in our laboratory showed that gradient centrifugation followed by a swim-up procedure effectively removed HIV-1-infected cells from the semen of HIV-seropositive men. 85 HIV-discordant couples were screened for fertility; 29 women were found suitable for a timed insemination course with the processed semen of their HIV-seropositive partner. None of the inseminated women seroconverted, and 17 pregnancies were achieved in 15 women. All 10 babies born to these mothers remain HIV seronegative. The findings may help in the counselling of such couples and also give them hope of having healthy babies.