Italian scientists have discovered that a little-known member of the family of herpesviruses, the virus HHV-6A, infect the endometrium, the inner-lining 'of the uterus almost half of women (43%) suffering from unexplained infertility. The same virus is nonexistent in women that have no problem to have a child.

Although further research is needed to confirm the new findings, scientists consider it likely that this herpes virus may be responsible for many cases of unexplained until now women infertility. If this is indeed so, then probably opens the way for the restoration of fertility of these women by antiviral therapy.

Researchers at the University of Ferrara, headed by Roberta Rizzo, who made the publication in the journal PLoS One, also found that infection epithelial cells of the endometrium with HHV-6A virus compounded by the hormone estradiol, which fluctuates during the woman's period. As estradiol increases, so increases the risk of active infection of the uterus with the virus, even without any visible symptoms or even traces of virus in the woman's blood.

From infertility suffer approximately 6% of women aged 15-44 years. One in four cases (25%) is of unknown reasoning.

"This is an unexpected discovery. If confirmed, this can improve the expectations of many infertile women, "said Professor 'Anthony Komarov of Medicine at Harvard University, a specialist in HHV-6A virus.

This virus was discovered only in 1986 and is one of the nine human herpesviruses, the same family as the herpes simplex virus, herpes zoster, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Bar virus, etc. Since the HHV-6A can not be detected in blood or saliva, are actually ignore how scientists are spread over among humans. However the relation virus HHV-6B infects through saliva almost 100% of people to childhood. It can cause encephalitis and other serious problems in patients with a weakened immune system. At present, there are no approved drugs or for the HHV-6A, nor the HHV-6B. Commonly used drugs that have been developed for herpesvirus HHV-5, known as cytomegalovirus. So far, the HHV-6A can be diagnosed only by biopsy in cell samples taken from the uterus by the gynecologist.

Source: PROTO THEMA