Detection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus DNA and RNA in Semen by the Polymerase Chain Reaction

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and semen of 23 men infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were examined for the presence of HIV DNA and RNA using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a nonisotopic detection assay. None of the men was receiving antiretroviral therapy at the time of collection. Semen samples were separated into cell-free seminal fluid, nonspermatozoal mononuclear cells (NSMC), and spermatozoa. All of the PBMC samples, 17 (74%) of 23 NSMC samples, and none of the spermatozoal samples were positive for HIV gag gene DNA. Of 23 cell-free seminal fluid samples, 15 (65%) were positive for HIV gag gene RNA by PCR. Cell-free HIV RNA was more likely to be present in the semen of men with less than 400 than in those with greater than or equal to 400 cells/mm3 (P less than .04) and was present in all patient with p24 antigen in serum. The presence of HIV DNA in NSMC samples was not related to CD4 cell count, disease status, or the presence of p24 antigen in the serum. This study shows that HIV nucleic acid can be detected by PCR in either the cell-free seminal fluid or NSMC of 87% of semen samples but not in the DNA of spermatozoa from HIV-infected men.