SARS-CoV-2 infection induces testicular injury in Rhesus macaque

Virol Sin. 2022 Dec;37(6):934-937. doi: 10.1016/j.virs.2022.10.008. Epub 2022 Oct 28.

¹ Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430061, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
² Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518069, China.
³ Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
⁴ Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430073, China.
⁵ The Core Facility and Technical Support, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430061, China.
⁶ University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430061 China.
⁷ Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430061, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China. Electronic address: hanxia@wh.iov.cn.
⁸ Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430061, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China. Electronic address: yzm@wh.iov.cn.

Abstract

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The infection of SARS-CoV-2 lead to varying degrees of testicular pathological damage.
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The NP antigen of SARS-CoV-2 was not found in male reproductive system of rhesus macaque.
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Infection-associated inflammatory insult and sex hormone fluctuations may account for the testicular pathophysiology.