In this post I suggested another reason to avoid exposure to COVID-19 are the possible long-term consequences, of which none are known. Well, The Mirror has published an article that suggests surviving men may be really unhappy – at least, the fathering kind:
… a new study has warned that the disease could also cause damage to men’s testicles.
While this link is yet to be proven, researchers from Wuhan’s Tongji Hospital are urging male coronavirus patients to have their fertility tested once they’ve recovered.
In their study , which has been widely shared on Chinese social media, the researchers, led by Professor Li Yufeng, explained: “New coronavirus infections are mainly caused by damage to the lungs and immune system, but in theory new coronavirus infections can also cause testicular damage.
How so?
The coronavirus invades cells through the combination of a protein (S protein) and an enzyme, dubbed ACE2.
In particular, large amounts of ACE2 are expressed in the testis, indicating that coronavirus has the potential to cause damage in this area.
The researchers added: “It is theoretically speculated that new crown infection may cause testicular damage, affecting sperm production and androgen synthesis.
“Obstructed sperm production will affect male fertility, and severe cases may cause male infertility; androgen deficiency may affect male secondary sexual characteristics and sexual function, and reduce quality of life.”
So they haven’t seen any cases, they’re merely theorizing. It’s hard to really analyze the danger here, since it’s based on theoretical interactions and not sample cases.
It’ll be interesting to see if this just sinks under the surface as no evidence comes available, or if men start complaining. This could render the uninfected men quite attractive.
