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Impact of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Upper Respiratory Tract Viral Infections on Reproductive Parameters in Young Healthy Men with Mild Symptoms of Disease

Elenkov, Angel LU ; Nilsson, Anna LU ; Kondic, Alexandra LU ; Bottiger, Blenda ; Broden, Marcus ; Bergman, Ebba ; Dahl, Annie and Giwercman, Aleksander LU (2023) In Andrologia 2023.
Abstract

Data regarding excretion of SARS-CoV-2 in semen are inconclusive and counseling regarding risk of sexual transmission is still challenging. Our knowledge on the effect of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) on male reproductive system is also scarce. Apart from negative effect of fever on spermatogenesis virtually no study has been able to compare reproductive parameters in men with COVID-19 or other URTI with predisease data. Eleven men who developed symptoms of URTI during the first and second wave of COVID-19 pandemic and who had preexistent fertility and hormonal data, participated in the study leaving sperm and blood samples. Three additional subjects were recruited among proven SARS-CoV-2 positive male hospital workers... (More)

Data regarding excretion of SARS-CoV-2 in semen are inconclusive and counseling regarding risk of sexual transmission is still challenging. Our knowledge on the effect of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) on male reproductive system is also scarce. Apart from negative effect of fever on spermatogenesis virtually no study has been able to compare reproductive parameters in men with COVID-19 or other URTI with predisease data. Eleven men who developed symptoms of URTI during the first and second wave of COVID-19 pandemic and who had preexistent fertility and hormonal data, participated in the study leaving sperm and blood samples. Three additional subjects were recruited among proven SARS-CoV-2 positive male hospital workers (without previous data). SARS-CoV-2 RNA was present in the ejaculate from 2 of 5 (40%) young men with mild COVID-19. In one of them viral particles could be detected in the semen sample 2 weeks after the first sampling. Men with any URTI showed higher LH (p=0.02), lower sperm concentration (p=0.047), and free testosterone (p=0.008) when compared to their samples delivered 10 years earlier. When SARS-CoV-2 positive subjects were compared to subjects with other URTIs, no difference in levels of reproductive parameters or inflammatory markers was seen. In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 RNA can be present in the ejaculate but does not seem to affect reproductive parameters any more than other viruses. However, mild URTI was shown to affect the sperm concentration, LH, and free testosterone negatively.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Andrologia
volume
2023
article number
8895384
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85176279900
ISSN
0303-4569
DOI
10.1155/2023/8895384
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Angel Elenkov et al.
id
f36d61e1-4d27-48f9-8d5c-fdd361ad5691
date added to LUP
2024-01-11 10:49:26
date last changed
2024-01-11 10:49:26
@article{f36d61e1-4d27-48f9-8d5c-fdd361ad5691,
  abstract     = {{<p>Data regarding excretion of SARS-CoV-2 in semen are inconclusive and counseling regarding risk of sexual transmission is still challenging. Our knowledge on the effect of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) on male reproductive system is also scarce. Apart from negative effect of fever on spermatogenesis virtually no study has been able to compare reproductive parameters in men with COVID-19 or other URTI with predisease data. Eleven men who developed symptoms of URTI during the first and second wave of COVID-19 pandemic and who had preexistent fertility and hormonal data, participated in the study leaving sperm and blood samples. Three additional subjects were recruited among proven SARS-CoV-2 positive male hospital workers (without previous data). SARS-CoV-2 RNA was present in the ejaculate from 2 of 5 (40%) young men with mild COVID-19. In one of them viral particles could be detected in the semen sample 2 weeks after the first sampling. Men with any URTI showed higher LH (p=0.02), lower sperm concentration (p=0.047), and free testosterone (p=0.008) when compared to their samples delivered 10 years earlier. When SARS-CoV-2 positive subjects were compared to subjects with other URTIs, no difference in levels of reproductive parameters or inflammatory markers was seen. In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 RNA can be present in the ejaculate but does not seem to affect reproductive parameters any more than other viruses. However, mild URTI was shown to affect the sperm concentration, LH, and free testosterone negatively.</p>}},
  author       = {{Elenkov, Angel and Nilsson, Anna and Kondic, Alexandra and Bottiger, Blenda and Broden, Marcus and Bergman, Ebba and Dahl, Annie and Giwercman, Aleksander}},
  issn         = {{0303-4569}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Andrologia}},
  title        = {{Impact of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Upper Respiratory Tract Viral Infections on Reproductive Parameters in Young Healthy Men with Mild Symptoms of Disease}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/8895384}},
  doi          = {{10.1155/2023/8895384}},
  volume       = {{2023}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}