COVID-19 and male reproductive function: a prospective, longitudinal cohort study

The existing evidence suggests that the human reproductive system may be potentially vulnerable to COVID-19 infection. However, little is known about virus–host interaction of in sperm cells. We are first address connection between changes multiple seminal biomarkers and function male patients recovering from COVID-19. In a prospective longitudinal cohort study, ACE2 activity, markers inflammation oxidative stress, apoptotic variables, semen quality parameters were evaluated at 10-day intervals for maximum follow-up time 60 days among with laboratory-confirmed ( n = 84) healthy controls (CON; 105). At baseline subsequent follow-ups, group revealed significantly higher levels plasma enzymatic IL-1?, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TGF-?, TNF-?, IFN-?, IFN-?, ROS, caspase-8, caspase-9, caspase-3 activity as well lower SOD than those CON P < 0.05). These perturbations tended persist over correlated significant impairments volume, progressive motility, morphology, concentration, number spermatozoa. provide direct experimental could targeted damaged by findings go beyond our current understanding disease, suggesting disease should precisely followed detect avoid more serious problems future, they develop transient state subfertility like oligoasthenoteratozoospermia.