The Impact of Herpes Simplex Virus on Semen Parameters in Men with Idiopathic Infertility: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Infertility due to the male factor is one of the major problems of infertile couples. One of the factors contributing tomale infertility could be the herpes simplex virus (HSV). The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the impactof HSV on semen parameters. This systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items forSystematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Different English and Persian databases including Web of Science,PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, ProQuest as well as SID, Magiran and Iranmedex were searchedby two researchers, independently, without time limit until April 15, 2022. Observational studies that reported therelationship between HSV and semen parameters in men with idiopathic infertility were included in this review. TheNewcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale was used for quality assessment of the included studies. Out of 356retrieved articles, 12 observational studies comprising a total of 1460 patients were reviewed. Four studies examinedthe effect of HSV1 virus, two studies examined the effect of HSV2 virus and five studies examined the effect of bothviruses on semen parameters. Seven studies reported at least one significant association between HSV infection andsemen parameters. Sperm count and sperm motility were semen parameters further affected by the virus. In conclusion,HSV can be one of the risk factors for male infertility and it can affect semen parameters. However, due to thedearth of studies, further research with more robust designs are recommended.

Keywords

• herpes simplex virus
• infertility
• men
• semen
• sperm