Absence of SARS‐CoV‐2 in semen of a COVID‐19 patient cohort

Liqiang Guo; Shengtian Zhao; Weiguang Li; Yan Wang; Leping Li; Shujuan Jiang; Wanhua Ren; Qun Yuan; Fubin Zhang; Feng Kong; Jie Lei; Mingzhen Yuan

doi:10.1111/andr.12848

journal article Sep 15, 2020

Absence of SARS‐CoV‐2 in semen of a COVID‐19 patient cohort

Liqiang Guo

Shengtian Zhao Weiguang Li Yan Wang

Leping Li Shujuan Jiang Wanhua Ren Qun Yuan Fubin Zhang Feng Kong

Jie Lei

Mingzhen Yuan

Andrology Vol. 9 No. 1 pp. 42-47 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1111/andr.12848

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundSince SARS‐CoV‐2 infection was first identified in December 2019, the novel coronavirus‐induced pneumonia COVID‐19 spread rapidly and triggered a global pandemic. Recent bioinformatics evidence suggested that angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2—the main cell entry target of SARS‐CoV‐2—was predominantly enriched in spermatogonia, Leydig and Sertoli cells, which suggests the potential vulnerability of the male reproductive system to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.ObjectivesTo identify SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA in seminal plasma and to determine semen characteristics from male patients in the acute and recovery phases of infection.MethodsFrom February 26 to April 2, 2020, 23 male patients with COVID‐19 were recruited. The clinical characteristics, laboratory findings and chest computed tomography scans of all patients were recorded in detail. We also investigated semen characteristics and the viral RNA load in semen from these patients in the acute and recovery phases of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection using approved methods.ResultsThe age range of the 23 patients was 20‐62 years. All patients tested negative for SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA in semen specimens. Among them, the virus had been cleared in 11 patients, as they tested negative. The remaining 12 patients tested negative for SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA in semen samples, but were positive in sputum and fecal specimens. The median interval from diagnosis to providing semen samples was 32 days, when total sperm counts, total motile sperm counts, and sperm morphology of the patients were within normal ranges.Discussion and ConclusionIn this cohort of patients with a recent infection or recovering from COVID‐19, there was no SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA detected in semen samples, which indicates the unlikely possibility of sexual transmission through semen at about 1 month after first detection.

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Metrics

140

Citations

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References

Details

Published: Sep 15, 2020
Vol/Issue: 9(1)
Pages: 42-47
License: View

Authors

L

Liqiang Guo

Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University Jinan China; Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine Shandong University Jinan China

S

Shengtian Zhao

Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University Jinan China

W

Weiguang Li

Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University Jinan China

Y

Yan Wang

Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University Jinan China

L

Leping Li

Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University Jinan China

S

Shujuan Jiang

Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University Jinan China

W

Wanhua Ren

Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University Jinan China

Q

Qun Yuan

Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention Jinan China

F

Fubin Zhang

Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention Jinan China

F

Feng Kong

Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University Jinan China

J

Jie Lei

Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention Jinan China

M

Mingzhen Yuan

Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University Jinan China

Cite This Article

Liqiang Guo, Shengtian Zhao, Weiguang Li, et al. (2020). Absence of SARS‐CoV‐2 in semen of a COVID‐19 patient cohort. Andrology, 9(1), 42-47. https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.12848

Absence of SARS‐CoV‐2 in semen of a COVID‐19 patient cohort

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