Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on March 25, 2004
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Human Reproduction, Vol. 19, No. 5, 1170-1175,
May 2004
© 2004 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
PCR-detected hepatitis C virus RNA associated with human zona-intact oocytes collected from infected women for ART
1 Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction, Maternité Pellegrin, 2 Laboratoire de Virologie and 3 Service de GynécologieObstétrique, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Hôpital Pellegrin, Place Amélie Raba Léon, 33076 Bordeaux and 4 Service de Gynécologie, Hôpital Saint-André, 1, rue Jean Burguet, 33075 Bordeaux, France
5 To whom correspondence should be addressed. e-mail: aline.papaxanthos{at}chu-bordeaux.fr
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the susceptibility of human oocytes from hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA-positive women to HCV contamination during assisted reproductive technology (ART). METHODS: A reverse transcriptasePCR assay was used to test for the presence of HCV RNA associated with 24 unfertilized oocytes 48 h after follicular fluid aspiration in 10 IVF attempts (seven conventional IVF and three ICSI). Negative and positive controls (10 unfertilized oocytes from HCV-negative women and 20 unfertilized oocytes artificially contaminated with HCV RNA-positive plasma; HCV RNA was also quantified in plasma and follicular fluid) were included. RESULTS: HCV RNA was associated with 17/24 (70.8%) oocytes (6/7 after ICSI and 11/17 after conventional IVF) and was found in 19/20 (95%) follicular fluid samples. A weak correlation was found between plasma and follicular fluid HCV RNA loads (r = 0.73, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: HCV associated with unfertilized oocytes surrounded by their intact zona pellucida from anti-HCV antibody-positive and viraemic women undergoing ART raises questions concerning the safe management of medically assisted procreation for these women and good practice of oocyte/embryo cryopreservation and donation.
Key words: hepatitis C virus/IVF/oocyte