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Volume 24, Issue 2 (March 2022) 24, 135–138; 10.4103/aja2021103
Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding in semen of 36 males with symptomatic, asymptomatic, and convalescent infection during the first and second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
Carlo Pavone1, Giovanni M Giammanco2, Andrea Pio Cascino1, Davide Baiamonte1, Mirko Pinelli1, Enrico Cangelosi3, Chiara Filizzolo2, Giuseppa Sciortino2, Simona De Grazia2, Floriana Bonura2
1 Section of Urology, Department of Surgical, Oncological and Oral Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo 90127, Italy
2 Section of Microbiology, Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo 90127, Italy
3 Section of Internal Medicine, Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo 90127, Italy
Correspondence: Dr. GM Giammanco (giovanni.giammanco@unipa.it)
Date of Submission 29-Jun-2021 Date of Acceptance 02-Nov-2021 Date of Web Publication 04-Jan-2022
| Abstract |
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The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), has been identified in the human testis, but the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through sexual intercourse still needs to be defined. The goal of our study was to determine if SARS-CoV-2 is detectable in the semen of patients suffering or recovering from coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), still testing positive at nasopharyngeal swabs but showing mild or no symptoms at the time of sampling. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in semen was performed by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested PCR targeting open reading frame (ORF) 1ab. Medical history of the enrolled patients was taken, including COVID-19-correlated symptoms, both at the time of diagnosis and at the time of interview. Results of real-time RT-PCR and nested PCR in semen showed no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the 36 patients suffering or recovering from COVID-19 but still positive in a nasopharyngeal swab, from over 116 patients enrolled in the study. SARS-CoV-2 detection and persistence in semen would have an impact on both clinical practice and public health strategies, but our results would suggest that SARS-CoV-2 is not present in the semen of men recovering from COVID-19.
Keywords: coronavirus; COVID-19; Italy; SARS-CoV-2; semen; sexual transmission
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