How? Blood vessels that feed blood to the penis are known to be damaged by Coronavirus infection, and vessels that supply blood to the penis seem to be no exception.
Researchers using an electron microscope discovered coronavirus particles in penile tissue samples collected from two former COVID-19 patients who became impotent six and eight months after their infection.
The researchers found indications of blood vessel damage in the COVID-19 patients' penises when compared to two other men with erectile dysfunction who had never been infected, according to a study published in the World Journal of Men's Health on May 7.
"We found that the virus affects the blood vessels that supply the penis, causing erectile dysfunction," said senior researcher Dr. Ranjith Ramasamy, director of the reproductive urology program at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine. "The blood vessels themselves malfunction and are not able to provide enough blood to enter the penis for an erection."
Ramasamy linked this to the organ damage reported in COVID-19 patients' lungs, kidneys, and brain.
"We think the penis also could be affected in a similar way," Ramasamy quoted. "We don't think this is a temporary effect. We think this could be permanent."
The current study focused on two COVID-19 patients who had recovered and were having penile prosthesis surgery to treat their erectile dysfunction. Prior to their illnesses, both guys had normal erectile function.
One of the males was very ill with COVID-19 and had to spend two weeks in the hospital before recovering, but he was generally healthy.
Before being infected, the second guy had a minor case of COVID-19, but he had blocked arteries and high blood pressure.
Both males exhibited COVID-19 particles in their penile tissue, as well as signs of endothelial dysfunction, a disorder in which the linings of tiny blood vessels do not work correctly, resulting in a lack of blood flow to various regions of the body.