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Persistence of Zika Virus in Gradient Sperm Preparation

Nino Guy Cassuto, Giulia Marras, Véronique Jacomo and Dominique Bouret

In April 2016 ZIKA virus RNA was detected during control before performing in vitro fertilization in adult-man semen that contracted the infection in French Guyana and travel back to France. The infection had been detectable in the sperm by qRT-PCR and the virus persists in the semen even after routinely ART sperm migration performed in a bilayer gradient. Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arbovirus transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitos. The virus has spread rapidly in the A. aegypti endemic region (South America, Central America, the Caribbean, the Pacific islands, Singapore, and Thailand) but the ability of ZIKV to be transmitted sexually has enhanced the transmission of the disease in non-endemic countries. It has been reported that during pregnancy ZIKV infection can lead to developmental abnormalities (microcephaly, cerebral calcification, fetal loss) and that the virus is also associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome. Guidelines have been drawn up regarding patients who come from countries affected by ZIKV epidemic and who intend to use Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). The international guidelines impose analysis for ZIKV detection in blood, urine and semen of the patient resident in or travelling back from ZIKV endemic countries in a 6-month-span. These screening analyses must be performed in semen before ART procedures.