Infections in IVF: review and guidelines

Since the inception of in-vitro fertilization (IVF), questions about contam ination and the transmission of infection have been raised. In this review, screening for Chlamydia trachomatis, as well as medical and ethical consid erations on IVF in couples infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are discussed. IVF i s not contraindicated in case of HBV or HCV infection, but the decision is far more delicate in case of HIV infection, If donor gametes or embryos are used, prevention of infectious disease transmission resides in accurate do nor selection, including screening for C, trachomatis, HIV, HBV, cytomegalo virus and Treponema pallidum. In the embryology laboratory, microbial conta mination of the IVF system deserves attention, and can be prevented by usin g sterile technique and supplementing culture media with screened sera or s erum substitutes and antibiotics. Persons whose biological material is to b e cryopreserved should be screened for HBV, HCV and HIV, and separate conta iners should be used for infected and non-infected material. Finally, trans mission of infectious diseases to laboratory personnel can be prevented by adherence to strict safety guidelines, wearing of protective clothing, HBV vaccination, prohibition of mouth pipetting, and developing a plan for the disposal of bio-hazardous material.