A
Artificial Insemination
Placing sperm cells into the cervix or uterus using a catheter for the purpose of achieving pregnancy.
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B
Breast Cancer-1 (BRCA-1)
A gene involved in hereditary breast cancer. About 1% of Ashkenazi Jews carry a mutation in the BRCA-1 gene called 185delAG. Women who carry this mutation in the BRCA-1 gene face an 85% lifetime chance of developing breast cancer and a 50% lifetime risk of ovarian cancer. Men carrying this mutation may have an increased risk of prostate and colon cancer.
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C
Chlamydia
Chlamydia testing detects infection with the organism Chlamydia trachomatis. This organism causes infection of the urinary or reproductive organs and can result in infertility.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
CMV testing detects current or past infection with the cytomegalovirus, a member of the herpes family. In adults, this virus which is spread through contact with infected secretions, generally causes a mild self-limited disease characterized by fever, sore throat and swollen glands. However, infection of a fetus during pregnancy can result in stillbirth, impaired mental capacity, hearing loss, and other serious problems. Testing can be done by antibody testing, semen culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Antibody testing detects current or past infection with the cytomegalovirus. Semen culture testing and/or PCR detects an active infection. Only specimens from donors who test negative for the semen culture and PCR or are antibody negative for CMV are released for use. It is important to note that a positive ("reactive") serum antibody titer to CMV indicates only that the individual has been infected with the virus at some time in the past. Unlike HIV, the vast majority of these individuals are not shedding CMV from any site and are not infectious.
Cryopreservation
Cooling and storing cells in a frozen state at a temperature which provides high survivability when thawed (-196°C for sperm cells).
Cryoprotectant Buffer
A chemical component of a freezing solution that protects the sperm cells by preventing changes in acidity during the cryopreservation process.
Cystic fibrosis (CF)
The most common recessive disease in the Caucasian population, affecting 1 in 2500 persons. Individuals with CF usually have severe lung disease and other problems leading to chronic illness and shortened lifespan. CF carriers ordinarily do not exhibit symptoms of the disease. DNA testing of donor applicants reduces the chance that a donor is a carrier of CF from 1 in 25 to 1 in 160, accomplishing almost a 7 fold reduction in CF risk for offspring from tested semen donors.
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G
Gonorrheoa
Gonococcus testing detects infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the organism that causes gonorrhea. Gonorrhea can cause inflammation of the urinary tract in men and women. In women it also is a cause of pelvic inflammatory disease that can result in infertility.
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H
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis B core antibody tests detect current or past infection with the hepatitis B virus. This virus attacks the liver. While the infection is usually self-limited, some individuals become chronically infected. A proportion of chronically infected individuals may develop cirrhosis and/or cancer of the liver.
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C antibody test detects current or past infection with the hepatitis C virus, another virus that attacks the liver. Infection with this virus results in chronic infection in some cases. Chronically infected individuals may develop cirrhosis of the liver and/or liver cancer.
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 & 2
Testing detects infection with Herpes simplex virus 1 & 2. Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) typically produces infections of the skin, oral mucosa, and eyes. The most serious risk is encephalitis in both children and adults. Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2) typically causes genital lesions. Newborns of symptomatic mothers can acquire HSV-2 by passage through an infected birth canal, where primary infection can be severe, possibly leading to viremia and central nervous system infection. Individuals with suppressed or compromised immune systems may experience severe HSV primary infection or viral reactivation, possibly leading to disseminated infection involving multiple organs, including the central nervous system. HSV assays that depend on viral culture or direct antigen testing may lack the sensitivity to detect low-level viral titers, and serological tests may not differentiate between past or present infection.
HTLV-I & II
HTLV-I & II testing detects infection with the human T-cell lymphotrophic virus types I & II. This virus may cause a chronic progressive nervous system disease. HTLV is a retrovirus that usually establishes an asymptomatic, but chronic infection. In a small percentage of patients, HTLV infection can progress to adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL), or HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP).
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
A type of retrovirus (human immunodeficiency virus) that infects helper T cells of the immune system. It is responsible for various illnesses including the fatal illness acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Two strains have been identified. The most common serotype, HIV-1, is distributed worldwide, while HIV-2 is primarily confined to West Africa.
HIV-1 and HIV-2 Antibody Tests
HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibody tests detect infection with two kinds of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). These viruses result in various illnesses including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
HIV Detection by PCR
HIV infection is normally screened by HIV antibody testing. It may take several months before seroconversion and antibody detection after an individual becomes infected with HIV virus (Ranki et al., 1987; Imagawa et al., 1989). Present sperm banking standards recommend a 6 month quarantine period and HIV antibody retest before frozen human semen donor specimens are released for use. HIV testing using PCR to detect HIV viral DNA may identify infection with the virus prior to seroconversion, and thus could prevent procurement and use of specimens from seronegative donors that may be HIV infected (Pexxella et al., 1989). For this reason, Fairfax Cryobank tests all donors for HIV by PCR in addition to the normal antibody tests.
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
Human papilloma Virus (HPV) testing detects infection with human papillomavirus, the most common sexually transmitted viral disease worldwide. Some types of the virus cause common skin warts. High Risk types (eg, HPV-16 and HPV-18) have been associated with anogenital cancer, particularly cervical cancer. Human papillomavirus has been confirmed by clinical studies to be the primary cause of cervical cancer. The authors of an article in the March 2001 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommend HPV testing of sperm donors. The article can be found on pages 357-360 of volume 97 of the journal.
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I
ICI (Intracervical Insemination)
Placing semen in the cervix using a catheter.
IUI (Intrauterine Insemination)
Placing washed sperm cells directly into the uterus.
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L
Liquid Nitrogen
Nitrogen gas that has been cooled to the liquid state (-196°C) and used to cool and store cells in a frozen state.
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M
Mycoplasma
Mycoplasma testing detects infection with the organism Mycoplasma hominis. This organism has been linked to infertility.
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P
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
A method of replicating very small amounts of DNA which can be used in HIV testing to detect HIV viral DNA prior to seroconversion of the individual.
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S
Semen
The male ejaculate containing a mixture of seminal plasma and sperm cells.
Spermatozoa (Sperm)
The fully developed male reproductive cells.
Semen Analysis
Examination of fresh ejaculate under the microscope to assess the concentration (count), morphology (shape) and motility of sperm cells.
Seminal Fluid
The liquid portion of an ejaculate composed of fluid from the prostate and seminal vesicle glands of the male.
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V
Vial
A container used to package frozen sperm. It is sometimes referred to as a dose or a unit.
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W
Washed Sperm Cells
Sperm cells that have had the seminal plasma and dead cells removed by the process of centrifugation.
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