A RESEARCH published in medrxiv.org by a team of medical scientists from Nanjing Medical University found that the Covid-19 virus could have lasting effects on male patients who have been infected.
The team led by Dr Jianqing Wang, Head of the Department of Urology at Suzhou Hospital wrote that male patients who suffer from Covid-19 may become infertile.
The study based on the datasets of 146 male patients in three different settings found that the Covid-19 virus typically attacks ACE2 (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2) in various human tissue cells and organs.
Research indicates that the coronavirus damages and causes lesions in the testicular tissues rich in ACE2 receptors, especially the renal tubular cells, Leydig cells and cells in seminiferous ducts in the testis.
According to Thailand Medical News, the research has not been peer reviewed but studies on how the coronavirus targets ACE2 receptors have been validated in more than 11 studies thus far.
The team of urology researchers who published the study advised clinicians to pay careful attention to the renal function of infected patients, as some of the antivirals are known to exhibit renal toxicity and aggravate virus-damaged kidneys.
They also advised clinicians to pay attention to the risk of testicular lesions during hospitalisation and during follow-up care.
