Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is More Common in Semen Than Generally Thought, According to a New Study
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is more common in semen than generally thought, according to a new study by Bedford Research Foundation scientists.
CMV is a common herpes virus that causes a minor disease in children and adults, but can also infect fetuses in utero and causes permanent problems in 1 out of 750 children born in the U.S.
In the February issue of Fertility and Sterility, the official journal of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), Bedford Research scientists report two surprising findings: First, nearly half (45%) of the semen specimens from 68 men without and with HIV co-infection had detectable CMV, including specimens from two men who initially tested negative for antibody against CMV in their blood. Second, men with even mild suppression of their immune system were twice as likely (57%) to have CMV in their semen as men with normal immunity (28%).
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