SARS ‐CoV‐2 and its relationship with the genitourinary tract: implications for male reproductive health in the context of COVID‐19 pandemic

ABSTRACTThe current outbreak of coronavirus ‐associated (CoVs) acute respiratory disease, named coronavirus disease 19 (COVID‐19), is not the first well‐known spillover of an animal originated virus to infect humans. However, it is one of the few to make such a fast jump in a powerful and efficient evolutionary shortcut. The incredible pattern of aggressiveness and the nude reality all over the world since the beginning of the outbreak is that 15 to 20% of those infected need hospitalization because of adverse clinical scenarios, and 5% evolve to critical conditions, not limited to respiratory‐related issues, but rather to syste mic involvement. A hugely exacerbated immunologic and inflammatory response to the virus surpasses the body's capacity to reestablish homeostasis and create a potentially deadly situation. The kidneys and testis have high expressions of angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 receptors (ACE2), and this pr imary receptor opens up the cell to the CoVs spike protein to ligate. One issue science needs to answer is whether or not SARS‐CoV‐2 is sexually transmissible, and if it is viable in the ejaculate. Does the virus, its immunologic and inflammatory brutal response, cause direct sperm or indirect ( testicular) dysfunction? All these uncertainties need clarifications, setting the Urologist and the Andrologist in the center stage for this novel and scary condition.
Source: Andrology - Category: Urology & Nephrology Authors: Tags: REVIEW ARTICLE Source Type: research