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UNCERTAINTY BASED ON VIRUS REPORTS: WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF SARS-COV-2 ON MALE REPRODUCTION? (COVID-19 AND MALE REPRODUCTION)

  • Wei Kang Chen1
  • Bei Bei Peng2
  • Xiao Dong Liu3
  • Zhi Gang Wu1,4

1Department of Andrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China

2Department of Emergency, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China

3School of Public Administration and Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China

4Reproductive Health Research Center, Health Assessment Center of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China

DOI: 10.31083/jomh.v16i4.313 Vol.16,Issue 4,October 2020 pp.84-96

Published: 01 October 2020

*Corresponding Author(s): Xiao Dong Liu E-mail: liuxd2002@126.com
*Corresponding Author(s): Zhi Gang Wu E-mail: andrologywzg@wmu.edu.cn

Abstract

Background and objectives

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic. Preliminary data reported that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) might not be found in the semen of patients in the early stages of COVID-19; however, the virus may be seen in the semen in the late, severe stages. To determine the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the male reproductive system.

Materials and methods

We reviewed the relationship between previously reported infections with mumps virus (MuV), HIV, Zika virus, hepatitis virus B, hepatitis virus C, SARS-CoV, and influenza viruses that could possibly damage the male reproductive system, and then investigated whether SARS-CoV-2 infection could cause any damage to the male reproductive system.

Results

There were various reports that viruses could impair male reproduction by entering into the testicular cells, inducing inflammation, or both. Regarding SARS-CoV-2, five recent independent studies showed no evidence to suggest that SARS-CoV-2 could be found in the semen and testicular tissues, suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 would not directly damage the blood–testis barrier (BTB) in the early stages of COVID-19 infection. However, a study found that viral RNA was found in 6 out of 38 patients. Three studies found that there were some changes in the sexual hormone levels.

Discussion and conclusion

There is a lack of substantial evidence to determine how SARS-CoV-2 affects male reproduction at this moment. Understanding of the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and male infertility requires further research.

Keywords

COVID-19; male reproduction; SARS-CoV-2; virus

Cite and Share

Wei Kang Chen,Bei Bei Peng,Xiao Dong Liu,Zhi Gang Wu. UNCERTAINTY BASED ON VIRUS REPORTS: WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF SARS-COV-2 ON MALE REPRODUCTION? (COVID-19 AND MALE REPRODUCTION). Journal of Men's Health. 2020. 16(4);84-96.

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Scopus: CiteScore 0.7 (2022) Scopus is Elsevier's abstract and citation database launched in 2004. Scopus covers nearly 36,377 titles (22,794 active titles and 13,583 Inactive titles) from approximately 11,678 publishers, of which 34,346 are peer-reviewed journals in top-level subject fields: life sciences, social sciences, physical sciences and health sciences.

Norwegian Register for Scientific Journals, Series and Publishers Search for publication channels (journals, series and publishers) in the Norwegian Register for Scientific Journals, Series and Publishers to see if they are considered as scientific. (https://kanalregister.hkdir.no/publiseringskanaler/Forside).

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