Analysis spotlights sperm defects in month after COVID infection, but not at 90 days – University of Minnesota Twin Cities

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In the 30 days after COVID-19 infection, total sperm count, sperm concentration, total sperm motility (movement), and progressive motility were significantly reduced in a cohort of Chinese men, with the most severe effects in those with moderate to high fever, researchers from Sichuan Provincial Maternity and Child Health Care Hospitalreport in Scientific Reports.

The researchers tracked semen quality in 58 men for up to 109 days after COVID-19 diagnosis and used a linear mixed-effects model to analyze semen parameters at different time points before and after infection. They noted that previous studies suggest that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) facilitates SARS-CoV-2 entry into testicular cells, where it leads to testes injury and impairs sperm production.

While there was no significant difference in semen volume before or after COVID-19 diagnosis, median total sperm count and concentration were lower after infection. Total sperm motility and progressive motility were significantly lower after diagnosis, and the percentage of non-moving sperm was higher.

Rates of sperm survival and normal sperm form decreased, with greater head defects but similar numbers of sperm with neck, mid-piece, or tail defects. No differences were noted in the number of round cells, anti-sperm antibodies, semen liquefaction time, or viscosity before or after COVID-19 infection.

Fever severity during SARS-CoV-2 infection may constitute the main influencing factor in reducing semen parameters in patients after recovery, but the effect is reversible.

The greatest drop in sperm count and concentration occurred within 30days, followed by a gradual recovery and normalization by 90 days. The percentage of normal sperm fell, and the percentage of sperm with head defects significantly increased from 30 to 60 days, followed by recovery. An initial drop in sperm survival returned to baseline by 30 days.

Patients with a moderate or high fever saw a statistically significant decline in semen parameters, while those with a mild fever did not.

"Fever severity during SARS-CoV-2 infection may constitute the main influencing factor in reducing semen parameters in patients after recovery, but the effect is reversible," the study authors concluded.

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Analysis spotlights sperm defects in month after COVID infection, but not at 90 days - University of Minnesota Twin Cities