Sky News – COVID-19 can infect tissue in the penis and potentially contribute to erectile dysfunction, researchers have found.
COVID can cause damage to blood vessels, which in turn can damage parts of the body the vessels supply, including the sponge-like tissue in the penis.
Ranjith Ramasamy, associate professor and director of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s reproductive urology program, led the study. He said that erectile dysfunction “could be an adverse effect of the virus”.
“COVID can cause damage to blood vessels, which in turn can damage parts of the body the vessels supply, including the sponge-like tissue in the penis.” – World Journal of Men’s Health
The study focused on four men who were having penile prosthesis surgery for erectile dysfunction.
Two had suffered with COVID-19, and two had not. They were all aged between 65 and 71 and of Hispanic ethnicity.
The pair who had the coronavirus were infected six and eight months before the observations, with one hospitalized for the virus and the other not.
Neither had a history of erectile dysfunction.
“In our pilot study, we found that men who previously did not complain of ED [erectile dysfunction] developed pretty severe ED after the onset of COVID-19 infection.” – Ranjith Ramasamy, M.D., University of Miami
Remnants of the virus were observed in the penis tissue of the two COVID-positive men.
The damage COVID causes to blood vessels is known as endothelial dysfunction.
Dr. Ramasamy said: “In our pilot study, we found that men who previously did not complain of ED [erectile dysfunction] developed pretty severe ED after the onset of COVID-19 infection.”
“This study is the first to demonstrate the presence of the COVID-19 virus in the penis long after the initial infection in humans. Our study also suggests that widespread endothelial cell dysfunction from COVID-19 infection can contribute to resultant erectile dysfunction.” – World Journal of Men’s Health, May 07, 2021.
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