New research at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina suggests that sperm - not just semen - can transmit the virus that causes AIDS to immune cells in the body and, in fact, sperm may play a major role in transmission.
Scientists already know that men infected with HIV - the virus that causes AIDS - can spread the disease through their semen, the fluid that carries sperm. But it hasn’t been clear what role sperm itself plays, especially considering that men who don’t produce sperm, such as those who have had vasectomies, can transmit the virus.
The study authors explained that immune cells known as dendritic cells appear to be vulnerable. They think the virus gets to these cells by passing through tiny abrasions in the vagina or anus or perhaps through another method.
The study was published in the Oct. 26 online edition and the Nov. 23 print issue of the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
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