[Viruses and male genital tract: target cells and consequences of the infection]

Sexually transmissible infectious agents such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) have renewed the attention paid to viruses capable of infecting the male genital tract. The presence of viruses at this level may not only lead to their transmission and spread via semen but may also impact on male fertility and/or represent a potential cause of male genital organ cancers. This review summarizes the currently available data on the various viruses identified in the human semen and male reproductive tract, their distribution in tissues and fluids, their possible target cells and the functional consequences of their infectivity on the reproductive and endocrine systems and on genital organs cancer aetiology.