NY Times: New research findings reveal coronavirus invasion in the genitalia of male monkeys

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Three male rhesus monkeys were examined with whole-body scans specifically designed to locate infection locations and scientists who expected to find the virus in spots like the lungs were stunned to discover that the coronavirus invaded the prostate, penis, testicles, and surrounding blood vessels. The positron emission tomography method employed in the new study was developed to identify the areas of coronavirus infection in a living animal. The method allows for repeated, consecutive scanning of an animal, observing how the virus moves through the body and how it is cleared. According to studies, about 10 to 20% of men infected with the coronavirus have symptoms related to male genital tract dysfunction, and other symptoms reported include testicular pain, reduced sperm counts and quality, decreased fertility, and hypogonadism, a condition in which the testes produce inadequate levels of testosterone, resulting in low sex drive, sexual dysfunction, and decreased fertility. The objective is to utilize the knowledge to create treatments that will reduce the pandemic’s impact on fertility. The scans might also possibly detect the virus’s location in patients and help modify therapies accordingly. The full article by Roni Caryn can be found here

 

 

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