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Safety issues in semen banks during the COVID-19 pandemic: data from a European survey
- Source :
- Journal of Endocrinological Investigation; 20220101, Issue: Preprints p1-8, 8p
- Publication Year :
- 2022
-
Abstract
- Purpose: We performed a survey among European semen banks enquiring safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic. We report the experience from a center searching SARS-CoV-2 mRNA in semen of patients undergoing cryopreservation from May 2020 to January 2021. Methods: A questionnaire was submitted to accredited semen banks of the European Academy of Andrology (EAA) and the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine (SIAMS). A total of 22 centers answered to the survey. SARS-CoV-2 mRNA in semen was evaluated by RT-PCR in 111 subjects banking in the Semen Bank of Careggi University Hospital (Florence, Italy). Results: No particularly drastic safety measures were adopted by the majority of the centers to prevent the risk of contamination or transmission of the virus. The most common strategy (77.3%) was the administration of an anamnestic questionnaire. About half of the centers request a negative nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) before cryopreservation. Few centers use a quarantine tank, in case of late response of NPS, and only 4 store in a dedicated tank in case of infection. SARS-CoV-2 mRNA was not found in 111 semen samples cryopreserved in the Florentine bank. Conclusions: European semen banks use different measures to handle semen samples for cryopreservation during COVID-19 pandemic. The request of NPS is advised to better manage couples undergoing ART and to protect the personnel operating in the bank/ART center. Finally, due to the areas of uncertainties of an almost unknown virus, it is absolutely recommended the use of safe devices for sample handling and storage.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 03914097 and 17208386
- Issue :
- Preprints
- Database :
- Supplemental Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Endocrinological Investigation
- Publication Type :
- Periodical
- Accession number :
- ejs58757868
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-021-01728-9