SARS-CoV-2: diagnostic and design conundrums in the context of male factor infertility

Reprod Biomed Online. 2020 Sep;41(3):365-369. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2020.05.014. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

Abstract

The question of whether SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 [SARS-CoV-2], leading to the COVID-19 infection) can be harboured in the testes and/or semen is currently unanswered. It is essential to understand the limitations of both antibody and real-time PCR tests in interpreting SARS-CoV-2 data in relation to analyses of semen and testicular tissue without appropriate controls. This article critically analyses the evidence so far on this, and the possible implications. The limitations of diagnostic tests in both sampling and testing methodologies, their validation and their relevance in interpreting data are also highlighted.

Keywords: COVID-19; Diagnosis; Infertility; Male factor; SARS-CoV-2; Semen.

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
  • Betacoronavirus*
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques*
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections / transmission*
  • Humans
  • Infertility, Male / therapy*
  • Male
  • Pandemics
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / metabolism
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Viral / transmission*
  • RNA, Viral / analysis
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / analysis
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Semen / virology
  • Serine Endopeptidases / analysis
  • Serine Endopeptidases / metabolism
  • Spermatozoa / virology
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / metabolism
  • Testis / virology*
  • Tissue Donors

Substances

  • RNA, Viral
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
  • ACE2 protein, human
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
  • Serine Endopeptidases
  • TMPRSS2 protein, human