• Nora Holtmann, Philippos Edimiris, Marcel Andree, Cornelius Doehmen, Dunja Baston-Buest, Ortwin Adams, Jan-Steffen Kruessel, and Alexandra Petra Bielfeld.
• Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Duesseldorf, Germany.
• Fertil. Steril. 2020 Aug 1; 114 (2): 233-238.

ObjectiveTo investigate the presence of viral RNA in human semen of patients with severe acute-respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and to evaluate its presence and relevance in semen parameters.DesignPilot cohort study.SettingUniversity hospital.Patient(S)Thirty-four men were distributed as: 1) patients in convalescence (patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in pharyngeal swab according to reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR] or antibodies); 2) negative control group (no antibodies); and 3) patients with an acute infection (detection of SARS-CoV-2 in pharyngeal swab).InterventionSemen and a blood sample were collected from each individual.Main Outcome Measure(S)Analysis of semen quality according to the World Health Organization standards. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR in the native semen sample and after density gradient preparation. Confirmation of immunoglobulin (Ig) A und IgG antibodies in the blood.Result(S)Eighteen semen samples from recovered men were obtained 8-54 days after absence of symptoms, 14 from control subjects, and 2 from patients with an active COVID-19 infection. No RNA was detected by means of RT-PCR in the semen, including semen samples from two patients with an acute COVID-19 infection. Subjects with a moderate infection showed an impairment of sperm quality.Conclusion(S)A mild COVID-19 infection is not likely to affect testis and epididymis function, whereas semen parameters did seem impaired after a moderate infection. SARS-CoV-2 RNA could not be detected in semen of recovered and acute COVID-19-positive men. This suggests no viral transmission during sexual contact and assisted reproductive techniques, although further data need to be obtained.Copyright © 2020 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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