BREAKING! Columbia University Study Confirms Presence Of SARS-CoV-2 Virus In Human Semen Along With Infected Males Having Low Sperm Count!

A new study by researchers from Columbia Mailman School of Public Health-Columbia University, New York and Columbia University Irving Medical Center-New York have confirmed that presence of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in semen of infected males and also has found that infected males or those that had recovered had low sperm count! The study findings published in the U.S. CDC Journal: Emerging Infectious Disease, puts an end to debates and stupid fact checkers claiming that there is no evidence of the SARS-CoV-2 in the semen of males or that SARS-CoV-2 does not affect male fertility. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/28/1/21-1521_article


Rather the study findings open the doors lots of implications and further detailed research is now urgently needed as to whether the virus found in the semen is infectious and as to whether sexual transmissions of the SARS-CoV-2 is possible by oral sex, normal sex, anal sex and whatever else that is out there! (Who knows, maybe Biden, Boris and the rest of the stupid dictators in certain European countries etc might soon imposes mandates on abstinence of sexual practices and come up with a COVID-19 sex pass etc and the rest of the even more stupid leaders from other countries might follow suit! Countries like Thailand already suffering economically from the downturn in the tourism industry due to COVID-19 might also suffer another blow from its undeclared and clandestine underground sex industry if ‘sex lockdown’s are imposed. (Ask the married and single Thai HiSO males and their rendezvous at the various clubs at Thonglor or certain online platforms!)
 
The study team from Columbia University reported the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) in semen by using quantitative reverse transcription PCR during the late convalescent phase. Virus was associated with adequate humoral and cell-mediated responses, suggesting possible seeding of the immune-privileged testes.
 
The study team also provide longitudinal semen quality data for 6 other men, including 3 who had oligozoospermia or low sperm count.
 
Thailand Medical News had covered a Chinese study as early as February 2020 that warned that SARS-CoV-2 could infect male testes and also affect male fertility. https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-news!-latest-research-published-by-chinese-scientists-say-coronavirus-might-render-certain-male-patients-infertile
 
On that first study, an unqualified male moronic Italian journalist and garbage American bastards employed by facebook as fact checkers labelled our coverage as fake news despite the scientific evidence available and their inability to even justify their terming the study as fake news! No apologies or compensation was ever given to us.
 
We since also covered numerous other studies indicating that the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus could affect male fertility. https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/coronavirus-news-could-covid-19-create-a-whole-generation-of-virally-castrated-eunuchs-study-confirms-male-fertility-is-at-risk
 
www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-male-infertility-research-shows-that-sars-cov-2-coronavirus-may-indirectly-cause-testicular-damage-in-male-covid-19-patients-and-also-orchiti">https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-male-infertility-research-shows-that-sars-cov-2-coronavirus-may-indirectly-cause-testicular-damage-in-male-covid-19-patients-and-also-orchiti
 
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/sars-cov-2-news-ultrasound-diagnostic-imaging-shows-that-sars-cov-2-causes-acute-testicular-infection-in-a-high-proportion-of-male-covid-19-patients
 
But despite the numerous studies out there showing that male fertility is affected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, numerous mainstream media and social media platforms in America and the United Kingdom always keeps on either downplaying the findings or claiming that the virus does not affect male fertility.
 
However, association of SARS-CoV-2 with sexual transmission has not been reported to date. However, various other emerging pathogens such as the Ebola virus and Zika virus have exhibited sexual transmission.
 
The angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) receptors essential for the entry of the virus inside host cells are abundant in the testis. Additionally, autopsy reports have indicated viral invasion of the testis. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33318629/
 
Already the presence of SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in semen from two studies during the acute phase and one study during early convalescence. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32379329/
 
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33557147/
 
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33522572/
 
This new study published reported findings of semen analysis from a prospective COVID-19 cohort study.
 
The clinical study took place in March 2020 and involved participants from inpatient and outpatient settings in New York. Participants who showed positive results for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR or serological tests were considered to be eligible. The recruited participants had to fill out surveys that involved demographics, their COVID-19 clinical course, and underlying conditions.
 
Clinical samples were collected from the participants at each visit which included nasopharyngeal swab specimens, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, plasma, stool/rectal swab specimens, saliva samples, and semen.
 
However out of the 107 participants who enrolled for the cohort study, only seven provided semen samples. The mean age of the participants was found to be around 38.7 years. Out of the seven participants, two were Hispanic, three Caucasian, and two Black. Two of the participants had previous HIV infections, and two were reported to have a body mass index greater than 30 kg/mg2.
 
It was also noted that one participant had a successful vasectomy and was included in the study to evaluate viral carriage in non-testes organs.
 
In the study, the semen was collected and assessed according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization. A total of 17 semen samples were collected from the 7 participants. The samples were frozen after collection. The samples then underwent semen analysis and quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) testing. Additionally, the cycle threshold (Ct) values were also assessed.
 
Detailed immunoassays were carried out to quantify IgA, IgG, and IgM binding against the viral spike and nucleocapsid protein. Antibody neutralization assay was carried out for measurement of neutralization at half-maximal inhibitory concentration. Also, an ELISPOT assay was done to determine the T-cell response against viral spike, matrix, nucleocapsid, and envelope proteins.
 
The study findings indicated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA along with severe oligozoospermia in one participant 81 days after COVID-19 onset. The sperm count for this participant was less than one million on day 81, and no sperm motility was observed. Additionally, two other participants were found to have severe oligozoospermia, and one had mild oligozoospermia. The semen samples from the rest of the six men were negative for the qRT-PCR test.
 
Interestingly, sperm count recovery was observed in three participants, while two participants had decreased sperm count even during later convalescence.
 
The humoral and cell-mediated immune responses were found to be adequate. The ELISPOT assay showed strong reactivity against the matrix protein, while half-maximal inhibitory concentration against SARS-CoV-2 trimer was found to be modest at days 72 and 78.
 
Though the study was quite effective in determining the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the semen, it had certain limitations. The initial sample of semen was collected during the late convalescent phase, where a high Ct value corresponded to the presence of an inactive virus that could not detect sexual transmission.
 
Also, the study's sample size was quite small and did not include pre-infection semen analysis for comparison. Therefore, the findings could not be generalized for all the male COVID-19 survivors and require further research.
 
However, many physicians and researchers are warning that urgent detailed research is needed as perhaps in certain stages of infection, males could be harboring active infectious SARS-CoV-2 in their semen and could be aiding spread through sexual transmission. Perhaps this is something that the US NIAID Dr Anthony Fauci, the ‘father’ of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus should further explore.
 
For more on SARS-CoV-2 and male infertility, keep on logging to Thailand Medical News.