SARS-CoV-2 infection, male fertility and sperm cryopreservation: a position statement of the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine (SIAMS) (Società Italiana di Andrologia e Medicina della Sessualità)

doi:10.1007/s40618-020-01290-w

Review

. 2020 Aug;43(8):1153-1157.

doi: 10.1007/s40618-020-01290-w. Epub 2020 May 27.

SARS-CoV-2 infection, male fertility and sperm cryopreservation: a position statement of the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine (SIAMS) (Società Italiana di Andrologia e Medicina della Sessualità)

G Corona¹, E Baldi², A M Isidori³, D Paoli³, F Pallotti³, L De Santis⁴, F Francavilla⁵, S La Vignera⁶, R Selice⁷, L Caponecchia⁸, R Pivonello⁹, A Ferlin¹⁰, C Foresta⁷, E A Jannini¹¹, A Lenzi³, M Maggi¹², F Lombardo³

Affiliations

¹ Endocrinology Unit, Medical Department, Maggiore-Bellaria Hospital, Largo Nigrisoli 2, 40133, Bologna, Italy. jocorona@libero.it.
² Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
³ Department of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
⁴ IVF Unit, Gynaecological-Obstetric Department, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy.
⁵ Andrology Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Public Health, Life and Environment Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
⁶ Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
⁷ Department of Medicine, Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
⁸ Andrology and Pathophysiology of Reproduction Unit, Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, Latina, Italy.
⁹ Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Sezione di Endocrinologia, Unità di Andrologia e Medicina della Riproduzione e della Sessualità Maschile e Femminile (FERTISEXCARES), Università Federico II di Napoli; Staff of Unesco Chair for Health Education and Sustainable Development, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
¹⁰ Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Unit of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
¹¹ Chair of Endocrinology and Medical Sexology (ENDOSEX), Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Roma, Italy.
¹² Endocrinology Unit, Department of Experimental Clinical and Biomedical Sciences ``Mario Serio'', University of Florence, Florence, Italy.

PMID: 32462316
PMCID: PMC7252417
DOI: 10.1007/s40618-020-01290-w

Review

SARS-CoV-2 infection, male fertility and sperm cryopreservation: a position statement of the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine (SIAMS) (Società Italiana di Andrologia e Medicina della Sessualità)

G Corona et al. J Endocrinol Invest. 2020 Aug.

. 2020 Aug;43(8):1153-1157.

doi: 10.1007/s40618-020-01290-w. Epub 2020 May 27.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Endocrinology Unit, Medical Department, Maggiore-Bellaria Hospital, Largo Nigrisoli 2, 40133, Bologna, Italy. jocorona@libero.it.
² Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
³ Department of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
⁴ IVF Unit, Gynaecological-Obstetric Department, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy.
⁵ Andrology Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Public Health, Life and Environment Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
⁶ Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
⁷ Department of Medicine, Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
⁸ Andrology and Pathophysiology of Reproduction Unit, Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, Latina, Italy.
⁹ Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Sezione di Endocrinologia, Unità di Andrologia e Medicina della Riproduzione e della Sessualità Maschile e Femminile (FERTISEXCARES), Università Federico II di Napoli; Staff of Unesco Chair for Health Education and Sustainable Development, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
¹⁰ Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Unit of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
¹¹ Chair of Endocrinology and Medical Sexology (ENDOSEX), Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Roma, Italy.
¹² Endocrinology Unit, Department of Experimental Clinical and Biomedical Sciences ``Mario Serio'', University of Florence, Florence, Italy.

PMID: 32462316
PMCID: PMC7252417
DOI: 10.1007/s40618-020-01290-w

Abstract

Purpose: The recent pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) due to coronavirus (CoV) 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has raised several concerns in reproductive medicine. The aim of this review is to summarize available evidence providing an official position statement of the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine (SIAMS) METHODS: A comprehensive Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase, Medline and Cochrane library search was performed. Due to the limited evidence and the lack of studies, it was not possible to formulate recommendations according to the Oxford 2011 Levels of Evidence criteria.

Results: Several molecular characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 can justify the presence of virus within the testis and possible alterations of spermatogenesis and endocrine function. Orchitis has been reported as a possible complication of SARS-CoV infection, but similar findings have not been reported for SARS-CoV-2. Alternatively, the orchitis could be the result of a vasculitis as COVID-19 has been associated with abnormalities in coagulation and the segmental vascularization of the testis could account for an orchitis-like syndrome. Finally, available data do not support the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in plasma seminal fluid of infected subjects.

Conclusion: Data derived from other SARS-CoV infections suggest that in patients recovered from COVID-19, especially for those in reproductive age, andrological consultation and evaluation of gonadal function including semen analysis should be suggested. Studies in larger cohorts of currently infected subjects are warranted to confirm (or exclude) the presence of risks for male gametes that are destined either for cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen or for assisted reproduction techniques.

Keywords: COVID-19; Male fertility; SARS-CoV-2; Semen cryopreservation.

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Conflict of interest statement

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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References

1. Ashour HM, Elkhatib WF, Rahman MM, Elshabrawy HA. Insights into the recent 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in light of past human coronavirus outbreaks. Pathog (Basel, Switzerland). 2020;9(3):186. doi: 10.3390/pathogens9030186. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Peng X, Xu X, Li Y, Cheng L, Zhou X, Ren B. Transmission routes of 2019-nCoV and controls in dental practice. Int J Oral Sci. 2020;12:9. doi: 10.1038/s41368-020-0075-9. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Cascella M, Rajnik M, Cuomo A, Dulebohn SC, Di Napoli R (2020) Features, evaluation and treatment coronavirus (COVID-19). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554776/ - PubMed
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[1] Ashour HM, Elkhatib WF, Rahman MM, Elshabrawy HA. Insights into the recent 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in light of past human coronavirus outbreaks. Pathog (Basel, Switzerland). 2020;9(3):186. doi: 10.3390/pathogens9030186. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] Ashour HM, Elkhatib WF, Rahman MM, Elshabrawy HA. Insights into the recent 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in light of past human coronavirus outbreaks. Pathog (Basel, Switzerland). 2020;9(3):186. doi: 10.3390/pathogens9030186. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Peng X, Xu X, Li Y, Cheng L, Zhou X, Ren B. Transmission routes of 2019-nCoV and controls in dental practice. Int J Oral Sci. 2020;12:9. doi: 10.1038/s41368-020-0075-9. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[4] Peng X, Xu X, Li Y, Cheng L, Zhou X, Ren B. Transmission routes of 2019-nCoV and controls in dental practice. Int J Oral Sci. 2020;12:9. doi: 10.1038/s41368-020-0075-9. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[5] Cascella M, Rajnik M, Cuomo A, Dulebohn SC, Di Napoli R (2020) Features, evaluation and treatment coronavirus (COVID-19). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554776/ - PubMed

[6] Cascella M, Rajnik M, Cuomo A, Dulebohn SC, Di Napoli R (2020) Features, evaluation and treatment coronavirus (COVID-19). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554776/ - PubMed

[7] CSSE at Johns Hopkins University (2020) Coronavirus resource center. https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html. Last Accessed 15/04/2020

[8] CSSE at Johns Hopkins University (2020) Coronavirus resource center. https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html. Last Accessed 15/04/2020

[9] Italian Ministry of Health (2020) Covid-19, situation report update at 13 April 2020. https://www.salute.gov.it/portale/news/p3_2_1_1_1.jsp?lingua=italiano&me.... Last Accessed 15/04/2020

[10] Italian Ministry of Health (2020) Covid-19, situation report update at 13 April 2020. https://www.salute.gov.it/portale/news/p3_2_1_1_1.jsp?lingua=italiano&me.... Last Accessed 15/04/2020

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SARS-CoV-2 infection, male fertility and sperm cryopreservation: a position statement of the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine (SIAMS) (Società Italiana di Andrologia e Medicina della Sessualità)

Affiliations

SARS-CoV-2 infection, male fertility and sperm cryopreservation: a position statement of the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine (SIAMS) (Società Italiana di Andrologia e Medicina della Sessualità)

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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