0000000001034853
AUTHOR
Piero Ammatuna
Human papillomavirus infection in couples undergoing in vitro fertilization procedures: impact on reproductive outcomes.
A prospective study was performed to assess the relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in 199 infertile couples and outcome of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). A highly statistically significant correlation between pregnancy loss rate (proportion of pregnancies detected by β-hCG that did not progress beyond 20 weeks) and positive HPV DNA testing in the male partner of infertile couples, compared with HPV negatives, was observed (66.7% vs. 15%).
Hla-Bb,Dr3 Phenotype and the Antibody Response Against Epstein-Barr Virus
Antibodies against the viral capsid antigen (VCA) and nuclear antigens (EBNAs) of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) were determined in a sample of Sicilian population. A significant correlation was observed between HLA-BB,DR3 phenotype and reduced titres of antibodies to EBNAs, whereas HLA-BB,DR3 positive individuals displayed levels of antibodies to VCA comparable to those of HLA-BB,DR3 negative ones. These results further strenghten the suggestion that HLA-BB,DR3 positive subjects are low responders and that the depth of immune response depends on on the fashion of antigenic challenge.