Background: Viral HEPATITIS is one of the health problems which have the effects on the health issues. It seems that HEPATITIS B VIRUS (HBV) and HEPATITIS C VIRUS (HCV) infection have negative impacts on the semen quality and male infertility rate. Objective: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of HBV and HCV on sperm quality among Iranian infertile men referred to Royan Institute Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center between 2003 and 2014. Materials and Methods: This retrospective case-control study included 112 HBV positive infertile men and 47 HCV positive infertile men as case group and 112 HBV negative andHCVnegative matched infertile men as a control group. All semen analysis and viral parameters assessment was performed in the central laboratory with the same method and instruments. Results: Sperm count among infertile men with HBV and HCV infection was significantly lower than control group [the mean of the total sperm count 100. 95 ± 118. 59, 118. 22 ± 141. 18, 166. 27 ± 151. 25 (p < 0. 001)]. Sperm motility was significantly decreased in HBV and HCV positive men in comparison to the control group [30. 97 ± 25. 88, 31. 09 ± 28. 72, 40. 87 ± 23. 37, respectively (p < 0. 007)]. The percentage of normal sperm morphology was significantly higher in control group in comparison to HBV and HCV infected group [the mean of the normal semen morphology 3. 23 ± 3. 27, 3. 70 ± 3. 83, 4. 51 ± 3. 15 p < 0. 015]. Although there is a significant decline in liquefaction time in the case group but the viscosity, semen volume, and PH of semen samples were similar in the both case and control groups. Conclusion: Our results suggest that HBV and HCV infection are associated with poor sperm quality.

Background and Aims: Many studies have provided evidence for the role of HEPATITIS B and C VIRUSes in the development of liver cancer. Although the routine treatment is available for both conditions, no definite guideline is available to treat patients dually infected with HBV and HCV. This study was performed to determine the frequency of HBV/HCV-coinfection in Mashhad, North-East of Iran.Materials and Methods: In our previous study, 3198 participants were chosen for study of HBV infection from March 2010 to November 2011 in Mashhad, Iran. ELISA method was used to determine the existence of anti-HCV antibody among HBV infected cases.Results: Of 34 HBsAg positive participants that included equal number of men and women (17 subjects of each gender) with the mean age of 49.9 years, none were positive for anti-HCV antibody.Conclusion: According to the current study, it could be concluded that the prevalence of HBV/HCV coinfection is low in Mashhad. However, since occult HBV infection may go unnoticed by conventional HBsAg testing, high sensitive molecular techniques are required to investigate the presence of dual infection.

Background: Occult HEPATITIS C VIRUS infection (OCI) is recognized by finding HEPATITIS C VIRUS (HCV) RNA in hepatocytes without detectable anti-HCV antibodies and viral RNA in plasma. Autoimmune HEPATITIS (AIH) is a chronic and generally progressive disease without exactly-identified etiology.Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of OCI among patients with AIH and to evaluate the tests used to rule out HCV infection in diagnosing AIH.Patients and Methods: Between July 2012 to February 2013, 35 Iranian patients with AIH who attended Tehran HEPATITIS Center were investigated. For identifying OCI, detection of HCV RNA in both ultracentrifuged serum samples and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was used. Data analysis was performed using SPSS.Results: Six males and 29 females with mean disease duration of 77.1±39.5 month and mean age of 43.62±12.67 years were investigated. All cases were negative for anti-HCV antibody and we could not find any HCV RNA in ultracentrifuged serum samples and PBMCs.Conclusions: With our laboratory diagnostic method, it seems that there are no cases of OCI in patients with AIH. However, we recommend further studies with more samples and more precise laboratory method.

Sepehrvand et al. demonstrated a considerable seroprevalence rate of anti-HEV in Iranian kidney transplant recipients. The impact of HEV infection on renal transplantation and the risk of chronic HEV infection in this group are debated-issues that I would like to discuss. HEPATITIS E VIRUS (HEV) was first discovered in New Delhi, India, in 1955. The VIRUS is transmitted via the oral-fecal route. Other possible routes of transmission include blood transfusions, drug vertical transmission, person-to-person contact, and zoonotic transmission. The frequency of HEV transmission by non-fecal-oral routes remains unknown. In endemic areas, exposure occurs in childhood. In high-income countries, most cases of HEPATITIS E appear to be acquired locally and are not imported from endemic regions. In these areas, it likely has a zoonotic origin. In immunocompetent individuals, HEPATITIS E is a self-limited disease. However, HEV can cause chronic infection in solid organ transplants, patients who receive chemotherapy, and HIV-infected persons. HEV infection causes chronic HEPATITIS in more than 60% of recipients of solid organ transplants. Factors that increase the risk of chronic HEPATITIS in solid organ transplant recipients are shorter interval since the transplant, lower levels of liver enzymes and serum creatinine, lower platelet counts, and tacrolimus-based immunosuppression (compared with cyclosporin A), the most significant of which are tacrolimus use and low platelet count.