x

COVID-19 Infection May Reduce Fertility In Men

COVID-19 may damage sperm quality and reduce fertility in men, according to a new study based on experimental evidence.

The viral disease — which has swept the globe, claiming nearly 2.2 million lives — can cause increased sperm cell death, inflammation and so-called oxidative stress, researchers reported Friday in the journal Reproduction.

“These findings provide the first direct experimental evidence that the male reproductive system could be targeted and damaged by Covid-19,” the authors concluded.

Experts commenting on the research, however, said the capacity of the virus to compromise fertility in men remains unproven.

COVID-19 causes respiratory illness, especially in older people and those with underlying medical problems.

The world has seen more than 100 million confirmed cases since the disease emerged in central China at the end of 2019.

Transmitted through respiratory droplets, the disease attacks the lungs, kidneys, intestines and heart.

It can also infect male reproductive organs, impairing sperm cell development and disrupting reproductive hormones, earlier studies have shown. The same receptors the virus uses to access lung tissue are also found in the testicles.

But the effects of the virus on the ability of men to reproduce remained unclear.

Behzad Hajizadeh Maleki and Bakhtyar Tartibian from Justus-Liebig-University in Germany searched for biological markers that might indicate a negative impact on fertility.

Analysis done at 10-day intervals for 60 days in 84 men with Covid-19 was compared to data for 105 healthy men.

In the Covid-19 patients, sperm cells showed a significant increase in markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, a chemical imbalance that can damage DNA and proteins in the body.

 ‘Strong note of caution’

“These effects on sperm cells are associated with lower sperm quality and reduced fertility potential,” said Maleki in a statement.

“Although these effects tended to improve over time, they remained significantly and abnormally higher in the Covid-19 patients.”

The more severe the disease, the bigger the changes, he added.

The male reproductive system “should be considered a vulnerable route of Covid-19 infection and declared a high-risk organ by the World Health Organisation,” Maleki said.

Experts not involved in the study welcomed the research but cautioned that more was needed before drawing hard and fast conclusions.

“Men should not be unduly alarmed,” noted Alison Campbell, director of embryology of the CARE Fertility Group in Britain.

“There is currently no definitive evidence of long-lasting damage caused by Covid-19, to sperm or male reproductive potential,” she told the London-based Science Media Centre.

The results could have been skewed, she added, by the fact that men recovering from Covid were treated with corticosteroids and antiviral therapies, while the control group was not.

Allan Pacey, a specialist in male reproductive medicine at the University of Sheffield, raised a “strong note of caution” on how the data was interpreted.

Some of the indicators of decreased sperm quality could be due to factors besides Covid-19, he said, noting that more men in the Covid-19 group were overweight.

The simple fact that only one group was very sick — no matter the cause — also needed to be taken into account, he added.

“We already know that a febrile illness can impact on sperm production, regardless of what caused it.”

Hot this week

Don wants collective efforts to tackle Nigeria’s woes, awards scholarships

By Ogenyi Ogenyi,Uyo A retired Professor of Ethnocommunicology, Desmond Wilson,...

FG decorates 4 newly appointed DCGs of NCoS, tasks on professionalism, dedication to duty

By Palma Ileye Federal Government through the Ministry of Interior,...

Kogi Stresses Synergy with Agencies, Investors to Boost Food Security, Agro-Export

By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja The Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture...

My China Story: A Journey Through Beijing, Wuxi, and Qingdao

By Michael Onjewu, Abuja When I boarded my flight to...

Pres. Tinubu flags off Owerri Easter Pilgrimage to Israel, Jordan

By Joyce Remi-Babayeju President Bola Tinubu has officially flagged off...

NYCN Launches Tinubu CARES, Empowers Traders as Nigeria Marks 65th Independence

…Rolls out entrepreneurship fund to boost small businesses …..Distributes modern...

Wike Condoles With Arise News Over Death Of News Anchor, Vows Killers Will Be Apprehended

By Joyce Remi-Babayeju The FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, has...

Sixty-Five Cheers to a Great Nation in Need of True Reflections

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), on behalf of...

Nigeria @65: United, prosperous nation possible under Tinubu administration – Amagbein

By Our Correspondent Better, united and prosperous Nigeria is possible...

NNPC Foundation Boosts Economy with Agricultural Intervention, Say Kano Farmers

By Jabiru Hassan Farmers in Kano State have commended the...

Kogi Boat Mishap: Death Toll Rises to 36, 40 Rescued

By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA)...

Nigeria @65: Claims of Progress Are Deceptive – Activist Ukegbu

A social rights activist, Comrade Okechukwu Keshi Ukegbu, has...

Related Articles

Popular Categories

spot_imgspot_img