tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Fertil Steril
. 2020 May 29;S0015-0282(20)30519-7.
doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2020.05.028. Online ahead of print.
Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 in Human Semen-A Cohort Study
Nora Holtmann[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Philippos Edimiris[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Marcel Andree[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Cornelius Doehmen[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Dunja Baston-Buest[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Ortwin Adams[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Jan-Steffen Kruessel[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Alexandra Petra Bielfeld[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Objective: To investigate the presence of viral RNA in human semen of patients with severe acute-respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and to evaluate its presence and relevance in semen parameters.
Design: Pilot cohort study.
Setting: University hospital.
Patient(s): Thirty-four men were distributed as: 1) patients in convalescence (patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in pharyngeal swab according to reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR] or antibodies); 2) negative control group (no antibodies); and 3) patients with an acute infection (detection of SARS-CoV-2 in pharyngeal swab).
Intervention: Semen and a blood sample were collected from each individual.
Main outcome measure(s): Analysis of semen quality according to the World Health Organization standards. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR in the native semen sample and after density gradient preparation. Confirmation of immunoglobulin (Ig) A und IgG antibodies in the blood.
Result(s): Eighteen semen samples from recovered men were obtained 8-54 days after absence of symptoms, 14 from control subjects, and 2 from patients with an active COVID-19 infection. No RNA was detected by means of RT-PCR in the semen, including semen samples from two patients with an acute COVID-19 infection. Subjects with a moderate infection showed an impairment of sperm quality.
Conclusion(s): A mild COVID-19 infection is not likely to affect testis and epididymis function, whereas semen parameters did seem impaired after a moderate infection. SARS-CoV-2 RNA could not be detected in semen of recovered and acute COVID-19-positive men. This suggests no viral transmission during sexual contact and assisted reproductive techniques, although further data need to be obtained.
Keywords: ART; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; infertility; semen.
. 2020 May 29;S0015-0282(20)30519-7.
doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2020.05.028. Online ahead of print.
Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 in Human Semen-A Cohort Study
Nora Holtmann[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Philippos Edimiris[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Marcel Andree[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Cornelius Doehmen[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Dunja Baston-Buest[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Ortwin Adams[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Jan-Steffen Kruessel[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Alexandra Petra Bielfeld[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 32650948
- DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2020.05.028
Objective: To investigate the presence of viral RNA in human semen of patients with severe acute-respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and to evaluate its presence and relevance in semen parameters.
Design: Pilot cohort study.
Setting: University hospital.
Patient(s): Thirty-four men were distributed as: 1) patients in convalescence (patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in pharyngeal swab according to reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR] or antibodies); 2) negative control group (no antibodies); and 3) patients with an acute infection (detection of SARS-CoV-2 in pharyngeal swab).
Intervention: Semen and a blood sample were collected from each individual.
Main outcome measure(s): Analysis of semen quality according to the World Health Organization standards. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR in the native semen sample and after density gradient preparation. Confirmation of immunoglobulin (Ig) A und IgG antibodies in the blood.
Result(s): Eighteen semen samples from recovered men were obtained 8-54 days after absence of symptoms, 14 from control subjects, and 2 from patients with an active COVID-19 infection. No RNA was detected by means of RT-PCR in the semen, including semen samples from two patients with an acute COVID-19 infection. Subjects with a moderate infection showed an impairment of sperm quality.
Conclusion(s): A mild COVID-19 infection is not likely to affect testis and epididymis function, whereas semen parameters did seem impaired after a moderate infection. SARS-CoV-2 RNA could not be detected in semen of recovered and acute COVID-19-positive men. This suggests no viral transmission during sexual contact and assisted reproductive techniques, although further data need to be obtained.
Keywords: ART; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; infertility; semen.