The presence of SARS‐CoV‐2 virus in semen samples of patients with COVID‐19 pneumonia

Saylam, Barış; Uguz, Mustafa; Yarpuzlu, Mehmet; Efesoy, Ozan; Akbay, Erdem; Çayan, Selahittin

The SARS‐CoV‐2 set off a pandemic involving millions of people around the world. The topic of discussion is the possible viral detection in different body fluids than respiratory droplets. Therefore, we evaluated the possible presence of SARS‐CoV‐2 in semen and urine samples. Thirty patients were included in the study aged 35.67 ± 6.84 years. The day after the pharyngeal and/or nose swab of SARS‐CoV‐2 was positive, urine and semen samples were taken from patients, and the presence of SARS‐CoV‐2 was investigated. Laboratory tests and chest CT findings were evaluated simultaneously. SARS‐CoV‐2 was detected in four (13.3%) patients’ semen samples and in seven (23.3%) patients’ urine samples. White blood cell (WBC), neutrophil, C‐reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, alanine transaminase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and procalcitonin were significantly higher in patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 in semen (p < .05), though no statistical difference was found in urine (p > .05). Patients with severe pneumonia findings in Chest CT images are likely to be PCR positive in semen and urine samples (p = .005, p = .001). SARS‐CoV‐2 was not detected in urine and semen samples of patients after they had recovered (average duration 23 ± 4 days). SARS‐CoV‐2 can be detected in the urogenıtal fluıds of patients with severe clinical conditions and high viral load.