Semen quality as a potential susceptibility indicator to SARS-CoV-2 insults in polluted areas
Creators
- 1. Local Health Authority (ASL) Salerno, Italy
- 2. University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
- 3. Univesrity of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
- 4. Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Roma, Italy
- 5. Unit of Reproductive Medicine (UMR) Catania, Italy
- 6. University FedericoII , Naples, Italy
Description
Abstract
High levels of air pollution can contribute to high rate of the COVID-19 outbreaks. Air pollutants
induce oxidative stress, inflammatory process, immune imbalance and coagulation at systemic
level, making the organism susceptible to complications caused by various pathogens, including
viruses, resulting in a possible important damage co-factor. Sperm cells are highly sensitive to the
pro-oxidant effects of environmental pollutants, and may represent an important alarm bell
indicating that the burden of environmental pressure in a certain area is causing damage to humans.
A comparison of the maps of COVID-19 case fatality rates, male infertility rates and air pollution
may suggest a way to understand the dynamics of the virus impact. Semen quality may be
considered as an early and sensitive environmental marker, and also a potential susceptibility
indicator to viral insults (including SARS-CoV-2 ) in heavily polluted areas. Therefore, assessing the burden of environmental exposure of a given population and its potential susceptibility to insults
through early biological stress indicators may be helpful for predicting the risk of the adverse
effects by the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic .
Notes
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(Montano et al. 2020, Preprint).pdf
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Additional details
Related works
- Cites
- Preprint: 10.20944/preprints202006.0314.v2 (DOI)
References
- Montano, L. et al. (2018). The Role of Human Semen as an Early and Reliable Tool of Environmental Impact Assessment on Human Health | IntechOpen. https://www.intechopen.com/books/spermatozoa-facts-and-perspectives/the-role-of-human-semenas- an-early-and-reliable-tool-of-environmental-impact-assessment-on-human-health
- Montano L. (2020).Reproductive biomarkers as early indicators for assessing environmental health risk. in Marfe,G., and Di Stefano C. Toxic Waste Management and Health Risk, BenthamScience Publishers eBook eISBN 978-981-14-5474-5 (2020) Doi: 10.2174/97898114547451200101 https.//www.eurekaselect.com/185279/chapter
- Montano, L. et al. (2017). The role of human semen for assessing environmental impact on human health in risk areas: Novels and early biomarkers of environmental pollution. EcoFoodFertility project. Reproductive Toxicology 72, 44–45 (2017).
- Bergamo, P. et al. (2016). Human semen as an early, sensitive biomarker of highly polluted living environment in healthy men: A pilot biomonitoring study on trace elements in blood and semen and their relationship with sperm quality and RedOx status. Reprod. Toxicol. 66, 1–9 (2016).