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. 2023 Nov 15;12(22):7099.
doi: 10.3390/jcm12227099.

Effects of COVID-19 Infection on Spermatogenesis, Oxidative Stress and Erectile Function

Peter Törzsök  1 , David Oswald  1 , Christopher Steiner  1 , Michael Abenhardt  1 , Christian Ramesmayer  1 , Ljiljana Milinovic  1 , Bethseba Plank  1 , Zoe Tischleritsch  2 , Lukas Lusuardi  1 , Susanne Deininger  1
Affiliations

Effects of COVID-19 Infection on Spermatogenesis, Oxidative Stress and Erectile Function

Peter Törzsök et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Background: Our aim was to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 infection on male fertility and sexual function.

Methods: Thirty-one patients were investigated over a mean follow-up of 90 days (22-527) after a COVID-19 infection. Erectile dysfunction (ED), blood tests for sexual hormones, semen analysis including analysis of oxidative stress (OS), as well as COVID-19 antibody titer and the nasal COVID-19 PCR test were evaluated pre- and post-infection.

Results: Five patients reported a mild de novo ED (16.13%). One patient had a de novo positive mixed antiglobulin reaction test after the infection. We found no significant difference between pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 spermiogram parameters (p = 0.815). OS showed no significant association with COVID-19 infection, but with pathological spermiogram categories, sperm concentration, total sperm count, testis volume, FSH and testosterone.

Conclusion: COVID-19 infection does not appear to affect sperm quality and OS negatively in the intermediate term. Further investigations will be needed to assess the potential long-term effects of the infection and vaccination on male sexual function and fertility.

Keywords: COVID-19; infection; male fertility; oxidative stress; semen analysis; testosterone; virus.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of patient selection. * Patients under <18 and >50 years of age, who did not wish to take part in the study or with incomplete data, were excluded from the study.
Figure 2
Figure 2
COVID-Infection related symptoms. Other symptoms such as tachycardia, numbness, circulatory issues, sniff (1/31; 3.2%, respectively).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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