• Medicina · Jan 2024

    Observational Study

    [Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on seminal quality].

    • Patricia Chenlo, Julia Ariagno, Florencia Mauro, Herberto Repetto, Susana Curi, and Gabriela Mendeluk.
    • Laboratorio de Fertilidad Masculina, Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín, Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. E-mail: pchenlo@ffyb.uba.ar.
    • Medicina (B Aires). 2024 Jan 1; 84 (5): 913921913-921.

    IntroductionThe discovery of the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor and carrier protein in the testicles, along with the mandatory preventive social isolation during 2020 and subsequent immunization, prompted us to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on seminal variables in males seeking consultation at the laboratory.Materials And MethodsAn analytical and observational experimental design was employed. Seminal variables from semen analyses and kinetic values were analyzed using a computer-assisted sperm analysis system in 409 semen samples collected from patients attending the laboratory between April and December 2019, and April and December 2021. COVID-positive patients were stratified based on the time elapsed since the illness into three groups: less than 3 months (acute phase), 4-12 months, and more than 1 year.ResultsA significant difference (p=0.013) was found in the total sperm count per ejaculate in the COVID-positive group compared to the prepandemic and COVID-negative groups (Median (Q1-Q3): 67.49 (26.42-139.44) vs. 102.48 (43.86-197.05) and 96.72 (38.22-189.27)). When stratifying the COVID-positive group based on the time since the illness, the significant decrease (p=0.038) occurred during the acute phase, with recovery over time to values similar to the prepandemic and COVID-negative groups. Social isolation and vaccination did not have significant effects on seminal variables.DiscussionThe study revealed reversible changes in testicular function reflected by a decrease in sperm count in the total ejaculate of patients who had experienced COVID-19. These changes appear to be related to fever and inflammation rather than the virus infection itself.

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