Coronavirus infection can have a drastic impact on the quality of semen in males, a pilot study done by AIIMS has shown.
A study conducted by researchers of AIIMS Patna, Delhi, and Andhra’s Mangalagari has confirmed that Covid-19 affects semen quality. The study has been published in Cureus Journal.
It is well known that some viral infections may affect male fertility. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can lead to multiorgan damage through the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 receptor, abundant in testicular tissue.
However, little information is available regarding the shedding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in semen and its impact on spermatogenesis and fertility potential. The researchers planned to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the semen of COVID-19 males and to study the effect of COVID-19 on semen quality and sperm DNA fragmentation index.
For the purpose of the study, Thirty COVID-19 male patients aged 19-45 registered to AIIMS Patna hospital participated in the survey between October 2020 and April 2021. The doctors conducted a real-time reverse transcriptase test on all the semen samples.
Detailed semen analysis, including the sperm DNA Fragmentation Index, was done at first sampling that is during COVID-19. After 74 days of the first sampling, the doctors obtained the second sampling and repeated the above tests.
Findings showed that Coronavirus infection led to a significant fall in semen quality
"Although we could not find SARS-CoV-2 in the semen, the semen quality remained poor until the second sampling. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinics and sperm banking facilities should consider assessing the semen of COVID-19 males and exclude men with a positive history of SARS-CoV-2 until their semen quality returns to normal," authors noted.