Concussion detection: Zika virus causes testicular atrophy to 90%

US health experts warn Zika virus can cause men's testicles to shrink by 90%, leading to infertility.

Zika virus is still known to cause microcephaly in babies. And scientists have just had a new finding showing the dangerous impact of this virus on men.

Professor Michael Diamond and some colleagues at Washington University of Medicine (USA) have studied the effect of Zika virus on rats and concluded: This virus is capable of causing testicular atrophy to 90% and causes infertility in this rodent.

Although there are no conclusive conclusions about the symptoms of 90% testicular atrophy in humans, the team believes that at least Zika virus may reduce sperm count and testosterone levels in affected men.

Professor Diamond said: "We experimented on rats so it is unknown whether Zika has the same effect in men. However, experiments show that men can face low testosterone levels and The number of spermatozoa decreases after Zika infection, does not rule out the possibility of infertility ".

Earlier, it was discovered that Zika virus survived in semen for up to several months but it was unclear what specific effects on an infected man.

The virus is capable of causing testicular atrophy by up to 90% and causes infertility in mice.(Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK).

The study was published by Diamond's team in Nature Genetics. After 2 weeks of testing, the testes of mice infected with Zika were significantly shrunken. Many cells (most of which are Sertoli cells, which cannot be regenerated) are destroyed or only "stagnant".

After 3 weeks, their testicles shrunk by one tenth of their original size. Even after 6 weeks when the team removed the virus from the mice's bodies, their testicles still could not recover.

According to Professor Diamond, male mice infected with Zika virus are 4 times less likely to conceive a female mouse than normal, while sperm count is reduced by 10 times and testosterone levels are very low.

Co-author Kelle Moley worries: "This is the only virus I know that causes serious symptoms like infertility. There are very few bacteria that can overcome the barrier to preventing testis with blood flow in the muscle. can directly affect and infect the testicle ".

Dr. Peter Barlow of Edinburgh Napier University noted: "While it is not clear whether Zika virus reduces testicle size and fertility in men, this study raises concerns about possible Zika virus." "The ability to directly affect fertility in men increases. Therefore, it is urgent to continue to monitor mice in the laboratory to confirm whether they affect men or not."

There were concerns if Zika invaded the male body, this virus will find its way into the reproductive organs and continue to spread sexually.