The Zika virus may cause infertility in men.

Studies on male mice have shown that the Zika virus damages important cells, leading to testicular atrophy, reduced sex hormones, and impaired fertility.

Despite the initial testing on mice, scientists are concerned about the potential negative effects on humans. "This finding needs to be re-examined," said Dr. Michael Diamond, a pathologist, immunologist, and molecular biologist from the University of Washington (USA), who led the study.

Photo: Today.

According to Reuters, to study Zika, Dr. Diamond and his colleagues injected the virus into male mice. After four weeks, the testicles of the infected mice had shrunk by one-tenth of their original size, and the internal structures, including the seminiferous tubules crucial for producing new sperm, were destroyed.

The research team also found that Zika attacks and kills Sertoli cells, which maintain the barrier between blood and the testicles and create an environment for sperm to develop. More dangerously, Sertoli cells do not regenerate. "The problem is that the virus affects a part that cannot be repaired if damaged," Dr. Diamond emphasized.

Based on testicular function tests, the authors concluded that sperm count, sex hormones, and fertility in Zika-infected male mice were all reduced. The success rate of conception with healthy female mice for virus-positive male mice also decreased fourfold.

Previous studies have indicated that Zika can survive for up to six months in semen, but it has not been determined whether it causes harm. Currently, there is no vaccine or specific treatment for Zika. To date, global efforts to combat Zika have primarily focused on protecting pregnant women because the virus severely impacts fetuses, leading to microcephaly and other brain abnormalities.

According to VNE