COVID19 Can Trigger Male Infertility – Study
A study conducted on male hamsters found presence of coronavirus in the testes of all infected hamsters.
A new study conducted by a team of US researchers has found coronavirus has the potency to infect the testes of infected hamsters. The findings of the study thus have great implications on men’s reproductive health and infertility.
“These findings are the first step in understanding how Covid-19 impacts the male genital tract and potentially men’s reproductive health,” Shannan Rossi, Associate Professor in the Departments of Pathology and Microbiology and Immunology at University of Texas Medical Branch said.
“We have much more to do before we have the full picture. Moving forward, we will investigate ways to blunt this impact, including using antivirals, antibody therapies and vaccines”, Rossi added.
The microscopic examination of the testes of all COVID infected hamsters showed the presence of the coronavirus. However, this tapered off after the first week.
The researchers believe that the hamster model can be replicated to human males and this could well represent what could occur in men with mild to moderate Covid-19 disease. The findings of the study are published in the latest issue of the medical journal Microorganisms.
