Chinese researchers at the Shangqiu Municipal Hospital posted research in the JAMA Network Open, citing tests conducted on 38 male patients during the COVID-19 pandemic in China between the January-February period.
As per these tests, around 16 per cent of them had traces of the coronavirus in their semen, indicating that the disease could be spread via sexual transmission. JAMA Network Open is an open-access global platform to publish medical studies and research. The data added that around a quarter of the patients tested were in critical condition while 9 per cent of them were recovering from the virus.
The team from the Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital in Beijing comprising of Diangeng Li said to CNN- “We found that SARS-CoV-2 can be present in the semen of patients with COVID-19, and SARS-CoV-2 may still be detected in the semen of recovering patients," adding “Even if the virus cannot replicate in the male reproductive system, it may persist, possibly resulting from the privileged immunity of testes.”
Previously, it has been found that viruses like Zika and Ebola could be sexually transmitted via semen. There have been cases where the virus has been spread through males even months after recovering from these deadly diseases. While this raises some concern about another potential way of potentially spreading the coronavirus, the evidence available right now appears to be anecdotal. Clearly, further research has to be conducted until a consensus is reached on a global level.
“Abstinence or condom use might be considered as preventive means for these patients. In addition, it is worth noting that there is a need for studies monitoring fetal development. Therefore, to avoid contact with the patient's saliva and blood may not be enough, since the survival of SARS-CoV-2 in a recovering patient's semen maintains the likelihood to infect others,” the team added.
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