Scientists may have found new deadly STD that could explain infertility in thousands of US men

A team of US scientists believe they've discovered a new sexually transmitted disease which can lead to deadly liver failure and infertility if untreated. 

Researchers at Ohio State University have found that the virus hepititis E in sperm samples, suggesting it can pass via sex.

It was previously believed that the virus, which doesn't always cause symptoms, only spreads via contaminated water. 

The experts found that sperm cells infected with the virus were less mobile and had genetic defects, which they say may provide evidence for the virus' role in cases of male infertility. 

Hepatitis E virus was found in sperm in pigs, suggesting the virus may be both sexually transmitted and linked to male infertility

Hepatitis E causes inflammation in the liver and can lead to permanent damage, though people typically get better on their own without lasting effects 

The current study was performed in pigs, whose reproductive systems are said to be very similar to humans. 

The scientists are now 'pushing' for men with infertility to be screened for hepititis E, which may be a 'potential cause' of their problems. 

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Around 20 million cases of hepatitis E virus (HEV) occur globally each year, and only three million are symptomatic. The infections are more common in developing countries without clean water, as viral cells in fecal matter enter the water supply, infecting individuals when they drink it.

Other types of hepatitis, including A, B, C, and D are all caused by different viruses and are transmitted in different ways, such as through blood or sexual fluids, as well as sharing needles. 

Hepatitis E causes inflammation in the liver, which can give people a yellowish hue to the skin and eyes, known as jaundice. It  can also cause abdomninal pain, fever, weight loss, dark urine, and fatigue. Most people recover fully without lasting liver damage within four to six weeks. 

In addition to driving up the risk of acute liver failure, the virus is also linked to fertility problems in men and neurological disorders.

While most patients recover on their own by rehydrating and replenishing electrolytes and taking medication to deal with the symptoms like nausea, the prognosis is poorer for pregnant women.

In the new study, Ohio State University researchers isolated the virus particles from sperm in infected pigs. 

The top row in the above scan shows the hepatitis E virus [in red] on the heads of sperm cells [shown in blue]. The bottom row shows control samples without HEV

The graph shows that sperm from HEV-infected pigs had significantly more head abnormalities, while the tails remained unaffected

The researchers injected pigs with the virus and found that it circulated in blood and was shed in feces.

Eighty four days post-injection, researchers found HEV on the heads of pigs’ sperm cells. About 19 percent of the sperm cells contained particles of the virus, which were infectious, meaning the virus could have been transmitted to another pig.

Dr Kush Yadav, an Ohio State researcher who led the study, said: ‘We can’t say they’re [the viral cells] are sitting on the outside or inside the sperm cells.'

To probe sperm quality more closely, researchers analyzed 200 sperm cells to compare their movement and shape.

Sperm infected with the virus strain that can infect humans showed a 14 percent decreased ability to move through the reproductive tract, a measure called motility, compared with that of pigs not infected.

More sperm in infected pigs were completely immobile compared to the non-infected pigs.

Moreover, sperm from pigs infected with HEV were more likely to have abnormally shaped and sized heads and tails.

In humans, these morphological changes are known to decrease a man’s ability to impregnate a partner as well as an increased risk of causing DNA changes in a fetus, resulting in congenital defects.

That said, they cannot say for sure whether these changes directly translate into fertility problems.

While the findings, published in the journal PLoS Pathogens, are compelling, there remain many important unanswered questions about HEV’s ability to be transmitted during sex.

Further research is needed to understand how sperm cells become infected with HEV, how long the virus persists in the testicles, how long the virus can be shed from sperm cells, and whether sexual intercourse can lead to systemic infection in partners.

STD rates are on the rise in the US, which researchers attribute to decreased condom, fewer local sexual health clinics and rampant drug use

The nation is contending with a protracted STD crisis. 

In 2021, gonorrhoea reached its highest level since 1991 and syphilis since 1990. 

Meanwhile, chlamydia’s rates have nearly doubled since two decades ago. 

STDs do not always have symptoms and, if left diagnosed and untreated, can have serious health consequences.

Syphilis is among the most threatening, as it can be a direct cause of death (whereas human papilloma virus, HIV, and hepatitis more commonly cause death because of secondary conditions). 

This year, rates of syphilis their highest level since the 1950s. An annual report from the CDC showed that 207,300 cases of the STD — which can cause sores on the genitals and mouth — were diagnosed nationwide in 2022, the latest year available.

That marked a 17 percent rise in a year and an 83 percent surge compared to five years ago. 

Without treatment, patients exhibiting the sores run the risk of the disease spreading to their brain and spinal cord which can lead to loss of vision, sensory problems, psychosis, paralysis, or stroke. 

Experts have pointed to a slew of reasons for the uptick in STD rates, including falls in condom use, fewer local sexual health clinics and rampant drug use. 

Hepatitis E typically spreads through contact with feces, such as touching fecal particles and bringing your hands to your mouth, drinking unclean water, and eating uncooked pork.

The risk of dying of hepatitis E infection is low, less than four percent. 

However, the risk is considerably higher in pregnant women. 

About 10 to 30 percent of pregnant women infected with HEV die in their third trimester. Pregnancy alters the immune system, making the mother’s body less able to fight off infection.