Infertility News: Obscure Virus That Can Be Transmitted By Kissing Linked To Unexplained Infertility

A new study has revealed that there is an obscure virus that causes infertility and previous research has found that the virus can be transmitted through kissing. The HHV-6A virus, which is a human herpes virus, was found in the uteruses of women with unexplained infertility.

According to Science Daily, researchers from the University of Ferrara, Italy found that HHV6A infected the uterine lining of 43 percent of women who had unexplained infertility. It was not found in women who were fertile. Immune cells activated by the virus triggered the production of chemicals called cytokines which "may make it harder for a fertilized egg to lodge in the uterus, and grow into a baby."

Virus found in saliva may lead to infertility says a new #health study https://t.co/36xbrsof7F pic.twitter.com/kE7b6HfNyW

— Canoe Lifestyle (@CanoeLifestyle) July 11, 2016

Virus Causing Infertility Not Easily Traced

Besides infection of their uterine lining by the HHV-6A virus, the researchers also discovered that women with unexplained fertility had higher levels of the hormone estradiol, according to a report from The Telegraph. This hormone can reportedly prompt an infection from the HHV-6A virus.

The report said that the pervasiveness of the HHV-6A virus is not known because it is "typically not detectable in the blood or saliva." It added that the virus is said to reproduce in the salivary glands and is  transferrable by kissing. In the past, herpes viruses have reportedly been associated with male but not female infertility.

Infertility Study Has 'Potential'

"This is a surprising discovery. If confirmed, the finding has the potential to improve the outcome for a large subset of infertile women," said Prof. Anthony Komaroff, as per a report from Tech Times. Komaroff teaches at Harvard Medical School professor and has studied the HHV-6A virus.

According to the report, the researchers of the HHV-6A virus and unexplained infertility study said there needs to be more research to confirm their preliminary findings and to explore possibilities of an antiviral therapy for those infected by the virus. The study was published in journal PLOS One.