CYTOMEGALOVIRUS DETECTION IN CRYOPRESERVED SEMEN SAMPLES COLLECTED FOR THERAPEUTIC DONOR INSEMINATION

The presence of cytomegalovirus (CR;IV) in semen was retrospectively e valuated in 178 cryopreserved semen samples obtained from 97 donors re cruited by two sperm banks. Thirty-three (34.0%) donors were CMV-seron egative, 51 (52.6%) were CMV-seropositive and 13 (13.4%) had an unknow n serological status. CMV was detected in sperm specimens by cell cult ure and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), CMV was detected in five (2.8 %) samples from two (2.0%) donors by cell culture and in 10 samples (5 .6%) from five donors (5.1%) by PCR; all the samples which were positi ve by cell culture were also positive by PCR, Our data indicate that c ryopreserved semen specimens obtained from healthy volunteer donors re present a potential source of CMV infection through therapeutic donor insemination. PCR, which is more sensitive than cell culture, should b e used for direct and rapid identification of CMV in semen samples col lected from volunteer donors. CMV detection in semen by PCR could be a dvantageously compared to CMV-antibody tests in serum which are only i ndicative of a former CMV infection.