Table 2.
Viruses and target organs in the human male reproductive tract
| Virus | Testicle | Epididymis | Vas deferens | Seminal vesicle | Prostate | Penis | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EBOV | Endothelial cells and seminiferous tubules | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 157 |
| HBV | Endothelial cells and fibroblasts | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 141,142 |
| HCV | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 133,134,135,136 |
| HIV | Germ cells, macrophages, and T-lymphocytes | Viral RNA and antigens in leukocytes | NA | Viral RNA and antigens in leukocytes | Viral RNA and antigens in leukocytes | Glans, foreskin, and urethra | 38,50,52,54,55 |
| HPV | Sertoli and interstitial cells | Viral DNA | Viral DNA | Viral DNA | Viral DNA | Viral DNA in shaft, glans, foreskin, and urethra | 102,105,106,107 |
| HSV | Specific tropism not defined | NA | NA | HSV-2 isolation from biopsies | HSV-2 DNA | HSV-2 DNA in glans, shaft, and urethra and viral HSV-1 in foreskin | 20,97 |
| Influenza virus | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 168 |
| MuV | Leydig cells | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 29,30 |
| SARS-CoV | Leydig and epithelial cells | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 194 |
| SARS-CoV-2 | Spermatogonia, Leydig and Sertoli cells | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 11,190 |
| ZIKV | Immature germ cells | *Viral RNA | *Viral RNA | *Viral RNA | *Viral RNA | NA | 74,79,80,81,82,83,84 |
*Experimental animal studies. EBOV: Ebola virus; HBV: hepatitis B virus; HCV: hepatitis C virus; HIV: human immunodeficiency virus; HPV: human papillomavirus; HSV: herpes simplex virus; HSV-1: herpes simplex virus type 1; HSV-2: herpes simplex virus type 2; MuV: mumps virus; SARS-CoV: severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated-coronavirus; SARS-CoV-2: severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated-coronavirus type 2; ZIKV: Zika virus; NA: not available