US researchers have found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, can infect the testes of infected hamsters, a finding that can have important implications for men's reproductive health.

The team from University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), has been studying Zika virus infection in the testes for years and wondered if SARS-CoV-2 could cause a similar disease.

Hamsters are commonly used to model Covid-19 in humans since they develop similar signs of disease.

The researchers think this may represent what could occur in men with mild to moderate Covid-19 disease. The team has detailed the study in the journal Microorganisms.

"We have much more to do before we have the full picture. Moving forward, we will investigate ways to blunt this impact, including using antivirals, antibody therapies and vaccines,"Rossi added.

As the pandemic goes on, clinicians continue to report their findings that Covid-19 affects more than just the lungs. Some patients have reported testicular pain and some reports have shown decreases in testosterone, a key hormone produced in the testes. Autopsies have also shown significant disruption of the testes at the cellular level, including the presence of immune cells.

Future studies also include modeling conditions associated with severe Covid-19, such as pre-existing conditions like obesity and diabetes and SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, the researchers said.

(This story was published from a syndicated feed. Only the headline and picture has been edited by FIT)