Coronavirus found in semen of COVID-19 survivors; sexual transmission unclear, study says

[RandySF]

Traces of the COVID-19 coronavirus have been found in the semen of some severely infected men, raising the possibility that the virus might be sexually transmitted, a new study from China claims.

Researchers found evidence of the virus in six men out of a group of 38 COVID-19 patients at Shangqiu Municipal Hospital in China who provided samples.

The six men included four who were still infected and two who were recovering, the researchers said.

The study was led by Dr. Weiguo Zhao of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital in Beijing, and findings were published May 7 in the journal JAMA Network Open.

It's not surprising that the virus was found in semen samples, since it's also been found in stool and other body fluids, said Dr. Ryan Berglund, a urologist with the Cleveland Clinic's Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute.



https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-semen-covid-19-survivors-sexual-transmission/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&linkId=88186045

[stopdiggin]

1. and we don't know (as yet)

whether this represents viable virus .. or genetic traces.

-- snip -- noted that the new study relies on testing that only detects traces of genetic material from the coronavirus. -- "It doesn't tell you that it's whole, viable, infectious virus," Poland said. "If I ground up the virus and performed this test, it would be positive even though that virus has no infectious potential." --

[bamagal62]

2. Does this really matter?

There would be other ways of transmission from kissing or close contact before sexual contact.

[abqtommy]

3. I think that the more we know and the more we learn is to our benefit...

[Squinch]

4. Um...yes. It matters a lot.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

5. Yep, Coronavirus likes the protein...

... in the testicles according to this LA Times article from April 18th:

https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-04-18/do-testicles-make-men-more-vulnerable-to-coronavirus

Do testicles make men more vulnerable to the coronavirus?

Those cells serve as the front door for the coronavirus because they express a protein called angiotensin converting enzyme 2, which the virus just happens to bind with.

In both men and women, these ACE2 proteins, or receptors, are plentiful in the lungs, the gastrointestinal tract and the heart. Not surprisingly, all of those tissues are vulnerable to attack from the virus that causes COVID-19.

Testicular tissue also pumps out ACE2 receptors at a high rate. Ovarian tissue does not.

[jberryhill]

6. It also changes the taste

So if someone’s semen doesn’t taste right, don’t go near them.