{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,27]],"date-time":"2026-09-27T09:49:46Z","timestamp":1790502586387,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,14]],"date-time":"2021-12-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1639440000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003323","name":"anrs","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003323","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100015101","name":"ramsay sant\u00e9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100015101","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:p>To date, there is limited information about the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in semen especially in the acute phase of the infection. While available data from cohort studies including a total of 342 patients in the acute or recovery phase of the infection are reassuring, one study mentioned detecting virus in the semen of 6\/38 COVID-19 patients. Here we assessed SARS-CoV-2 presence in the semen of COVID-19 positive patients in the acute stage of infection, within 24 hours of the positive nasopharyngeal swabs. Semen, seminal plasma and spermatozoa pellet were screened for SARS-CoV-2 and manual or airborne contamination during semen sampling. Among the 32 COVID-19 volunteers, the median interval from the onset of symptoms to semen collection was 4 days [IQR: 0\u20138]. Only one presented positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR in semen and seminal plasma fractions, although the spermatozoa pellet was negative. Viral cultures were all negative. We observed slightly higher concentrations of bacterial DNA in the SARS-CoV-2 positive specimen than in all negative samples. The bacteria identified neither confirm nor rule out contamination by oropharyngeal secretions during collection. SARS-CoV-2 was rarely present in semen during the acute phase of the disease. This very rare situation could be connected to oral or manual contamination during semen collection. The possible presence of SARS-CoV-2 in semen calls for nasopharyngeal viral testing and strict hygiene protocols during semen collection before assisted reproductive attempts.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0260187","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,14]],"date-time":"2021-12-14T18:43:31Z","timestamp":1639507411000},"page":"e0260187","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":31,"title":["Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 in semen, seminal plasma, and spermatozoa pellet of COVID-19 patients in the acute stage of infection"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4768-3051","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Lucie","family":"Delaroche","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"M\u00e9lanie","family":"Bertine","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pierre","family":"Oger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Diane","family":"Descamps","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Florence","family":"Damond","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Emmanuel","family":"Genauzeau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Philippe","family":"Meicler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Quentin","family":"Le 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ACE2, is selectively expressed by adult Leydig cells of the testis","volume":"145","author":"GC Douglas","year":"2004","journal-title":"Endocrinology"},{"key":"pone.0260187.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2986","DOI":"10.2353\/ajpath.2010.090665","article-title":"TMPRSS2, a serine protease expressed in the prostate on the apical surface of luminal epithelial cells and released into semen in prostasomes, is misregulated in prostate cancer cells","volume":"176","author":"Y-W Chen","year":"2010","journal-title":"Am J Pathol"},{"key":"pone.0260187.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1006","DOI":"10.1007\/s11427-020-1705-0","article-title":"Single-cell transcriptome analysis of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) associated gene ACE2 expression in normal and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) human male testes","volume":"63","author":"X Liu","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci China Life Sci"},{"key":"pone.0260187.ref008","article-title":"The ACE2 expression in Sertoli cells and germ cells may cause male reproductive disorder after SARS-CoV-2 infection","author":"Q Shen","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Cell Mol Med"},{"key":"pone.0260187.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"33","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fertnstert.2020.05.001","article-title":"Coronavirus disease-19 and fertility: viral host entry protein expression in male and female reproductive tissues","volume":"114","author":"KE Stanley","year":"2020","journal-title":"Fertil Steril"},{"key":"pone.0260187.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1922","DOI":"10.3201\/eid2311.171049","article-title":"The Breadth of Viruses in Human Semen","volume":"23","author":"AP Salam","year":"2017","journal-title":"Emerg Infect Dis"},{"key":"pone.0260187.ref011","article-title":"The probable destructive mechanisms behind COVID-19 on male reproduction system and fertility","author":"M Moshrefi","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Assist Reprod Genet"},{"key":"pone.0260187.ref012","article-title":"Current status of the COVID-19 and male reproduction: A review of the literature","author":"E Borges","year":"2021","journal-title":"Andrology"},{"key":"pone.0260187.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"208","DOI":"10.1128\/MMBR.65.2.208-231.2001","article-title":"Viruses in the mammalian male genital tract and their effects on the reproductive system","volume":"65","author":"N Dejucq","year":"2001","journal-title":"Microbiol Mol Biol Rev MMBR"},{"key":"pone.0260187.ref014","article-title":"SARS-CoV-2 presence in seminal fluid: Myth or reality","author":"D Paoli","year":"2020","journal-title":"Andrology"},{"key":"pone.0260187.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1135","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fertnstert.2020.04.024","article-title":"No evidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 in semen of males recovering from coronavirus disease 2019","volume":"113","author":"F 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Observational Study","author":"JC Best","year":"2021","journal-title":"World J Mens Health"},{"key":"pone.0260187.ref024","article-title":"COVID-19 May Affect Male Fertility but is Not Sexually Transmitted: A Systematic Review","author":"I Tur-Kaspa","year":"2021","journal-title":"FS Rev"},{"key":"pone.0260187.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e208292","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2020.8292","article-title":"Clinical Characteristics and Results of Semen Tests Among Men With Coronavirus Disease 2019","volume":"3","author":"D Li","year":"2020","journal-title":"JAMA Netw Open"},{"key":"pone.0260187.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"234","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2019.00234","article-title":"Sperm Microbiota and Its Impact on Semen Parameters","volume":"10","author":"D Baud","year":"2019","journal-title":"Front Microbiol"},{"key":"pone.0260187.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1038\/nature23889","article-title":"Strains, 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