Effects of moderate COVID-19 infection on semen oxidative status and parameters 14 and 120 days after diagnosis
Fatemeh Mohanazadeh Falahieh A , Mahsa Zarabadipour B , Maryam Mirani C , Milad Abdiyan D , Marziyeh Dinparvar E , Hamideh Alizadeh F , Shahrokh Paktinat G and Hossein Hosseinirad
G H
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
B Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
C Department of Reproductive Biology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
D Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran.
E Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
F Department of Internal Medicine, Imam Khomeini University Hospital, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
G Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
H Corresponding author. Email: rad6438@gmail.com
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 33(12) 683-690 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD21153
Submitted: 23 May 2021 Accepted: 3 July 2021 Published: 30 July 2021
Journal Compilation © CSIRO 2021 Open Access CC BY
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Because COVID-19 is a multisystem infection, there are some concerns regarding its possible effects on male fertility. This study aimed to investigate the effects of COVID-19 on semen oxidative status and parameters 14 and 120 days after diagnosis in patients presenting with moderate infection (defined as respiratory symptoms, with or without fever, with Spo2 <93% and >90% and lung involvement <50%). Semen samples were obtained from 20 participants at two time points: the first sample on Day 14 and the second on Day 120 after diagnosis. Semen parameters (sperm concentration, motility, morphology, and viability) were evaluated, as were levels of seminal reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and sperm DNA fragmentation. Semen parameters, including sperm motility and DNA integrity, improved at 120 days after the COVID-19 diagnosis relative to values at 14 days. In addition, ROS and MDA levels were significantly reduced in patients 120 days after infection, and TAC increased at 120 days compared with 14 days (during the acute stage of infection). In conclusion, the present study shows that the detrimental effects of COVID-19 on sperm properties caused by oxidative stress decrease up to Day 120 after diagnosis.
Keywords: COVID-19, DNA, male fertility, oxidative stress, SARS-CoV-2, semen, spermatozoa, testis.
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