Human Papillomavirus and Male Infertility: What Do We Know?

Overview

Journal Int J Mol Sci

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Chemistry
Molecular Biology

Date 2023 Dec 23

PMID 38139389

Authors

Arianna Sucato

Michela Butta

Liana Bosco

Leonardo Di Gregorio

Antonio Perino

Giuseppina Capra

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to understanding the causes of infertility, which is being recognized as a growing health problem affecting large numbers of couples worldwide. Male infertility is a contributing factor in approximately 30-40% of cases, and one of its etiological causes is sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Among sexually transmitted pathogens, human papillomavirus (HPV) can contribute in various ways to the failure of spontaneous and assisted reproduction, acting in the different phases of conception, especially in the early ones. In particular, HPV infection can affect sperm DNA integrity, sperm motility, count, viability, and morphology and can induce the production of anti-sperm antibodies (ASAs). In this narrative review, we aimed to provide an overview of existing research on the potential adverse effects of HPV infection on male reproductive health. Furthermore, we analyzed how limiting the spread of the infection, particularly with gender-neutral vaccination, could be a possible therapeutic tool to counteract male and female fertility problems.

Citing Articles

Human Papillomavirus Infection in Partners of Women Attending Cervical Cancer Screening: A Pilot Study on Prevalence, Distribution, and Potential Use of Vaccines.

Sucato A, Serra N, Butta M, Gregorio L, Pistoia D, Capra G Vaccines (Basel). 2025; 13(2).

PMID: 40006719 PMC: 11861694. DOI: 10.3390/vaccines13020172.

HPV-51 or HPV-52 Infection Could Impair Sperm Quality in Infertile Patients: A Preliminary Study on Our Experience from North-Western Italy.

Omes C, Rienzi M, Rossini R, Piccinino M, Nappi R Trop Med Infect Dis. 2025; 10(2).

PMID: 39998040 PMC: 11861865. DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed10020036.

Ultrasensitive detection and quantification of bovine Deltapapillomavirus in the semen of healthy horses.

Cutarelli A, De Falco F, Serpe F, Izzo S, Fusco G, Catoi C Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1):769.

PMID: 39755719 PMC: 11700219. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-81682-7.

Impact of high-risk and low-risk human papillomavirus infections on the male genital tract: effects on semen inflammation and sperm quality.

Olivera C, Paira D, Olmedo A, Olmedo J, Tissera A, Molina R Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2024; 14:1420307.

PMID: 39258253 PMC: 11385601. DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1420307.

Papillomavirus infection and male infertility: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Garolla A, Mereu S, Pizzol D, Yon D, Rahmati M, Soysal P Health Sci Rep. 2024; 7(9):e70048.

PMID: 39221052 PMC: 11362025. DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.70048.

References

Garolla A, Pizzol D, Bertoldo A, De Toni L, Barzon L, Foresta C . Association, prevalence, and clearance of human papillomavirus and antisperm antibodies in infected semen samples from infertile patients. Fertil Steril. 2012; 99(1):125-131.e2. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2012.09.006. View

Perino A, Giovannelli L, Schillaci R, Ruvolo G, Fiorentino F, Alimondi P . Human papillomavirus infection in couples undergoing in vitro fertilization procedures: impact on reproductive outcomes. Fertil Steril. 2010; 95(5):1845-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2010.11.047. View

Foresta C, Ferlin A, Bertoldo A, Patassini C, Zuccarello D, Garolla A . Human papilloma virus in the sperm cryobank: an emerging problem?. Int J Androl. 2010; 34(3):242-6. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2605.2010.01075.x. View

Osman A, Alsomait H, Seshadri S, El-Toukhy T, Khalaf Y . The effect of sperm DNA fragmentation on live birth rate after IVF or ICSI: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Reprod Biomed Online. 2014; 30(2):120-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2014.10.018. View

Depuydt C, Donders G, Verstraete L, Beert J, Salembier G, Bosmans E . Negative Impact of Elevated DNA Fragmentation and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Presence in Sperm on the Outcome of Intra-Uterine Insemination (IUI). J Clin Med. 2021; 10(4). PMC: 7917808. DOI: 10.3390/jcm10040717. View

Jersoviene V, Gudleviciene Z, Rimiene J, Butkauskas D . Human Papillomavirus and Infertility. Medicina (Kaunas). 2019; 55(7). PMC: 6681313. DOI: 10.3390/medicina55070377. View

Cortes-Gutierrez E, Davila-Rodriguez M, Fernandez J, de la O-Perez L, Garza-Flores M, Eguren-Garza R . The presence of human papillomavirus in semen does not affect the integrity of sperm DNA. Andrologia. 2017; 49(10). DOI: 10.1111/and.12774. View

Kaspersen M, Larsen P, Ingerslev H, Fedder J, Petersen G, Bonde J . Identification of multiple HPV types on spermatozoa from human sperm donors. PLoS One. 2011; 6(3):e18095. PMC: 3066218. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018095. View

Barbonetti A, Castellini C, DAndrea S, Cordeschi G, Santucci R, Francavilla S . Prevalence of anti-sperm antibodies and relationship of degree of sperm auto-immunization to semen parameters and post-coital test outcome: a retrospective analysis of over 10 000 men. Hum Reprod. 2019; 34(5):834-841. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dez030. View

10.

Williams V, Filippova M, Filippov V, Payne K, Duerksen-Hughes P . Human papillomavirus type 16 E6* induces oxidative stress and DNA damage. J Virol. 2014; 88(12):6751-61. PMC: 4054338. DOI: 10.1128/JVI.03355-13. View

11.

Mastora E, Kitsou C, Evangelou T, Zikopoulos A, Zagorianakou N, Georgiou I . Presence of HPV 16 and HPV 18 in Spermatozoa and Embryos of Mice. In Vivo. 2021; 35(6):3203-3209. PMC: 8627744. DOI: 10.21873/invivo.12615. View

12.

de Kretser D . Male infertility. Lancet. 1997; 349(9054):787-90. DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(96)08341-9. View

13.

Graham S . The human papillomavirus replication cycle, and its links to cancer progression: a comprehensive review. Clin Sci (Lond). 2017; 131(17):2201-2221. DOI: 10.1042/CS20160786. View

14.

Garolla A, Engl B, Pizzol D, Ghezzi M, Bertoldo A, Bottacin A . Spontaneous fertility and in vitro fertilization outcome: new evidence of human papillomavirus sperm infection. Fertil Steril. 2015; 105(1):65-72.e1. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.09.018. View

15.

Takalani N, Monageng E, Mohlala K, Monsees T, Henkel R, Opuwari C . Role of oxidative stress in male infertility. Reprod Fertil. 2023; 4(3). PMC: 10388648. DOI: 10.1530/RAF-23-0024. View

16.

Das S, C G, Fletcher J, Kannangai R, Abraham P, Ramanathan G . The impact of human papilloma virus on human reproductive health and the effect on male infertility: An updated review. J Med Virol. 2023; 95(4):e28697. DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28697. View

17.

Bosco L, Serra N, Fasciana T, Pistoia D, Vella M, Gregorio L . Potential impact of a nonavalent anti HPV vaccine in Italian men with and without clinical manifestations. Sci Rep. 2021; 11(1):4096. PMC: 7892856. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83639-6. View

18.

Francavilla F, Santucci R, Barbonetti A, Francavilla S . Naturally-occurring antisperm antibodies in men: interference with fertility and clinical implications. An update. Front Biosci. 2007; 12:2890-911. DOI: 10.2741/2280. View

19.

Laprise C, Trottier H, Monnier P, Coutlee F, Mayrand M . Prevalence of human papillomaviruses in semen: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum Reprod. 2013; 29(4):640-51. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/det453. View

20.

Moghimi M, Zabihi-Mahmoodabadi S, Kheirkhah-Vakilabad A, Kargar Z . Significant Correlation between High-Risk HPV DNA in Semen and Impairment of Sperm Quality in Infertile Men. Int J Fertil Steril. 2018; 12(4):306-309. PMC: 6186290. DOI: 10.22074/ijfs.2019.5421. View