SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) and male fertility: Something we should be worried about?

As of 2021, roughly 5 million deaths were linked to SARS-CoV-2 infection based on World Health Organization estimates. The pandemic takes its staggering death toll, severely affecting the healthcare systems and leading to detrimental implications globally. While the severe impact on the respiratory system is well-established, the exact effect on male reproduction is still largely uncharted territory.

Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis inside spermatozoa using flow cytometry: Effects of antibiotic treatment (before and after) on sperm count parameters.

There is increasing evidence that Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection can directly affect male fertility. However, only few have investigated the effects of CT on semen parameters, and mostly with inconclusive results. The main aims of this study were to identify CT inside spermatozoa, and the possible pre and post antibiotic treatment effects on the overall semen parameters.

Impact of cancer and cancer treatment on male fertility.

While cancer, and especially testicular cancer and Hodgkin's disease, affects male fertility in many ways, the current increase of survival of male cancer patients of reproductive age or earlier has emerged as a new challenge to their subsequent ability to father children. Cancer treatments, including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, can have a transitory as well as a permanent detrimental impact on male fertility. Gonadotoxic effects and the length of time for sperm recovery after radiotherapy depends not only on initial semen quality, but also on gonadal dosage and the delivery method after chemotherapy, on the type of regimens and dosages and on the spermatogenesis phase that each drug impacts.

Soluble FAS and FAS ligand levels in seminal plasma: association with basic parameters of semen analysis.

Background/aim: Binding of FAS ligand (FASL) to its physiological receptor FAS, induces the activation of caspase-8, which triggers cell death. The FAS-FASL system regulates germ cell death. In this study, the role of the FAS-FASL system in male infertility was examined.

Serum pattern of circulating soluble receptor of leptin throughout the menstrual cycle.

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the pattern of circulating soluble receptor of leptin (sLeptinR) during the menstrual cycle and the association of sLeptinR to leptin, sex hormones and gonadotropins.

Methods: Fasting blood samples were collected on alternate days throughout a full cycle from fifteen healthy volunteers. Immunoenzymatic assays were employed to record the relevant levels.

Hypothyroidism has an adverse effect on human spermatogenesis: a prospective, controlled study.

Background: Abnormalities of spermatogenesis are associated with numerous diseases and aging. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of hypothyroidism on human spermatogenesis and different sperm function tests.

Methods: Twenty-five hypothyroid men and 15 normal individuals were investigated.

Relationship between nuclear chromatin decondensation (NCD) in vitro and other sperm parameters and their predictive value on fertilization rate in IVF program.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the in-vitro induced nuclear chromatin decondensation (NCD) of human spermatozoa and its value in combination with routine semen analysis in predicting the outcome of in-vitro fertilization (IVF).

Methods: The ejaculate of 52 couples, undergoing IVF, was incubated with lithium diidosalicylic acid (LIS) and dithiothreitol (DTT) (G.1) or with heparin and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) (G.

Chromatin decondensation of human sperm in vitro and its relation to fertilization rate after ICSI.

The inability of sperm chromatin to decondense has been implicated in the failure of fertilization, This study was undertaken to identify the relationship between sperm chromatin decondensation in vitro after incubation with follicular fluid at various points in time and fertilization or pregnancy rates after intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Moreover, an attempt was made to determine whether this test could be used as a predictive test for the outcome of ICSI. Thirty-two infertile couples undergoing ICSI therapy were included in this prospective study.

Evaluation of cryoinjury of spermatozoa after slow (programmed biological freezer) or rapid (liquid nitrogen vapour) freeze-thawing techniques.

Purpose: This study was initiated to determine the negative effect (cryodamage) on human spermatozoa after freeze-thawing and to find out whether freezing of spermatozoa with a computerized biological freezer is more advantageous than freezing above static liquid nitrogen vapour with regard to spermatozoa vitality, chromatin normality, morphology, and membrane integrity.

Methods: Forty-four semen samples were obtained from patients attending andrology laboratory, and each sample was divided into two aliquots. One aliquot was frozen using static liquid nitrogen vapour (G.

Comparison between computerized slow-stage and static liquid nitrogen vapour freezing methods with respect to the deleterious effect on chromatin and morphology of spermatozoa from fertile and subfertile men.

The purpose of this study was to determine the negative effects (cryodamage) on human spermatozoa after freeze-thawing and to determine whether freeze-thawing of spermatozoa with a programmed slow freezer is better than freezing with liquid nitrogen vapour (rapid freezing) with regard to alterations in sperm chromatin and morphology in semen from fertile (donor) and subfertile, IVF/ICSI, patients. Ninety-five semen samples were obtained either from patients attending our IVF unit for treatment (n=34) or from donors (n=25) with proven fertility and normal sperm quality according to WHO guidelines. Each semen sample was divided into two parts after liquefaction and addition of the cryoprotectant.

Can maturation arrest occur at the stage of spermiogenesis?

This article attempts to clarify the pathological condition during which the maturation of the germinal epithelium is unable to evolve beyond a certain stage and is characterized as maturation arrest. Emphasis is given to the histological entity named spermiogenic arrest.

Acrosome reaction: methods for detection and clinical significance.

The present article reviews the methods for detection and the clinical significance of the acrosome reaction. The best method for the detection of the acrosome reaction is electron microscopy, but it is expensive and labour-intensive and therefore cannot be used routinely. The most widely used methods utilize optical microscopy where spermatozoa are stained for the visualization of their acrosomal status.

Sex hormone binding globulin inhibits strongly the uptake of estradiol by human breast carcinoma cells via a deprivative mechanism.

A controversy exists for many years about the role of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in the uptake of estradiol by the cells. Using the estradiol-sensitive human breast carcinoma cell line MCF-7 and SHBG isolated from human serum by a new method, we observed a strong inhibition of estradiol uptake. The inhibition was higher when the concentration of the hormone was low.

Nonlinear binding of sex steroids to albumin and sex hormone binding globulin.

We have studied the binding of sex steroids to albumin and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) using gel filtration chromatography for the separation of the bound from the free fraction of the steroid. It was found that estradiol binds to the globulin and albumin in a nonlinear manner: a lag period of binding was observed at low concentrations of the proteins, followed by an exponential increase of the bound hormone as the protein concentration increased. The same was observed with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and albumin but not with globulin.