tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Asian J Androl
. 2022 Jan 4.
doi: 10.4103/aja2021103. Online ahead of print.
Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding in semen of 36 males with symptomatic, asymptomatic, and convalescent infection during the first and second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
Carlo Pavone[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Giovanni M Giammanco[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Andrea Pio Cascino[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Davide Baiamonte[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Mirko Pinelli[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Enrico Cangelosi[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Chiara Filizzolo[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Giuseppa Sciortino[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Simona De Grazia[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Floriana Bonura[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), has been identified in the human testis, but the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through sexual intercourse still needs to be defined. The goal of our study was to determine if SARS-CoV-2 is detectable in the semen of patients suffering or recovering from coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), still testing positive at nasopharyngeal swabs but showing mild or no symptoms at the time of sampling. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in semen was performed by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested PCR targeting open reading frame (ORF) 1ab. Medical history of the enrolled patients was taken, including COVID-19-correlated symptoms, both at the time of diagnosis and at the time of interview. Results of real-time RT-PCR and nested PCR in semen showed no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the 36 patients suffering or recovering from COVID-19 but still positive in a nasopharyngeal swab, from over 116 patients enrolled in the study. SARS-CoV-2 detection and persistence in semen would have an impact on both clinical practice and public health strategies, but our results would suggest that SARS-CoV-2 is not present in the semen of men recovering from COVID-19.
Keywords: COVID-19; Italy; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; semen; sexual transmission.
. 2022 Jan 4.
doi: 10.4103/aja2021103. Online ahead of print.
Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding in semen of 36 males with symptomatic, asymptomatic, and convalescent infection during the first and second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
Carlo Pavone[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Giovanni M Giammanco[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Andrea Pio Cascino[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Davide Baiamonte[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Mirko Pinelli[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Enrico Cangelosi[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Chiara Filizzolo[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Giuseppa Sciortino[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Simona De Grazia[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Floriana Bonura[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35017385
- DOI: 10.4103/aja2021103
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), has been identified in the human testis, but the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through sexual intercourse still needs to be defined. The goal of our study was to determine if SARS-CoV-2 is detectable in the semen of patients suffering or recovering from coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), still testing positive at nasopharyngeal swabs but showing mild or no symptoms at the time of sampling. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in semen was performed by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested PCR targeting open reading frame (ORF) 1ab. Medical history of the enrolled patients was taken, including COVID-19-correlated symptoms, both at the time of diagnosis and at the time of interview. Results of real-time RT-PCR and nested PCR in semen showed no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the 36 patients suffering or recovering from COVID-19 but still positive in a nasopharyngeal swab, from over 116 patients enrolled in the study. SARS-CoV-2 detection and persistence in semen would have an impact on both clinical practice and public health strategies, but our results would suggest that SARS-CoV-2 is not present in the semen of men recovering from COVID-19.
Keywords: COVID-19; Italy; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; semen; sexual transmission.