To date severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been detected in stool, gastrointestinal tract, saliva, and urine samples. A cohort study published in JAMA Network Open found that SARS-CoV-2 can be present in the semen of patients with COVID-19 and may still be detected in the semen of recovering patients. It is proposed that because the imperfect blood-testes/deferens/epididymis barrier, SARS-CoV-2 could seed to the male reproductive tract, especially in the presence of systemic local inflammation. The authors state that “Even if the virus cannot replicate in the; male reproductive system, it may persist, possibly resulting from the privileged immunity of testes.”
Source: Li et al., 2020. JAMA Netw Open
Journal Article: Li et al., 2020. Clinical Characteristics and Results of Semen Tests Among Men With Coronavirus Disease 2019. JAMA Network Open
Article By Clive Gray