Coronavirus has raised profound questions about what it means to be human in the 21st century. It has exposed the weaknesses and strengths in the institutions we cherish, such as our healthcare systems and economies. On a more personal level, it has shone a light on our appetite for daily interaction.
While this small study suggests that the chances of sexual transmission of the coronavirus are remote, it wasn’t absolute enough to fully rule out the possibility, however, the researchers noted.
“The fact that in this small, preliminary study that it appears the virus that causes COVID-19 doesn’t show up in the testes or semen could be an important finding,” said study co-author Dr. James Hotaling, an associate professor of urology specialising in male fertility at University of Utah Health.
He continued: “If a disease like COVID-19 were sexually transmittable, that would have major implications for disease prevention and could have serious consequences for a man’s long-term reproductive health.”
Along with the small number of patients, another limitation of the study was that none of them were severely ill with COVID-19, the authors noted.
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“It could be that a man who is critically ill with COVID-19 might have a higher viral load, which could lead to a greater likelihood of infecting the semen. We just don’t have the answer to that right now,” Dr Hotaling said.
He added: “But knowing that we didn’t find that kind of activity among the patients in this study who were recovering from mild to moderate forms of the disease is reassuring,” he added.
As Dr Hotaling points out, the activity still carries indirects risks, however.
Dr Hotaling warned that intimate contact can still increase the risk of spreading the coronavirus through coughing, sneezing and kissing.
Source: Daily Express
