Exploring spermatogenesis post-SARS-CoV-2: a comprehensive review of male reproductive health

The global health crisis induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the novel SARS-CoV-2 pathogen, has cast widespread implications on public health, notably impacting the male fertility. This review intends to consolidate and analyze academic research up to the conclusion of 2021, highlighting the potential consequences of SARS-CoV-2 within the scope of reproductive health of male. This review scrutinizes potential underlying mechanisms, with a thorough look at the pertinent biochemical and physiological pathways that could be implicated, drawing upon evidence from both clinical and pre-clinical investigations. Furthermore, it considers the potential long-term consequences of these alterations in relation to assisted reproductive technologies. The precise effects of the severe respiratory condition, COVID-19, triggered by SARS-CoV-2, on fertility are still under investigation. Various potential risk factors have been identified that may link SARS-CoV-2 infection to complications in fertility. One such element is the presence of angiotensin-converting enzyme-2, the key receptor for viral entry, in the cells of the testes. This could potentially facilitate direct viral invasion, leading to subsequent damage. The evaluation of existing data is crucial in understanding the extensive effects of COVID-19, particularly in the sphere of family planning and management of reproductive health in the context of worldwide health crises. This review also intensifies gaps in our present understanding, suggesting areas for future exploration to more thoroughly understand the complex relationship between male reproductive health and SARS-CoV-2.

ACE2 inhibitor; Fertility; Male; Semen; SARS-CoV-2

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