Table of contents:
- The difference between semen and sperm
- Various viruses that can be transmitted through male semen from unprotected sex
- Further research is still needed to deepen these findings
Semen plays an important role so that pregnancy can occur. This fluid is in charge of delivering sperm into the uterus to initiate the fertilization process for an egg. But you know, besides delivering sperm, semen can also deliver various infectious disease viruses - not just venereal disease, you know! The risk of transmitting the disease through semen increases if you and your partner have sex without a condom. So, what are the viruses that can be transmitted through male ejaculatory fluid?
The difference between semen and sperm
There are still many who mistake semen and sperm for the same thing. Semen is a white, cloudy liquid produced by men during ejaculation. So, it is not appropriate to call this fluid sperm. In the semen, there are sperm cells (spermatozoa), fructose, and various enzymes that are responsible for helping sperm to fertilize the uterus.
Whenever a man ejaculates, the resulting semen contains sperm. Sperm itself is a male reproductive cell that contains half the chromosomes needed to fertilize and form a zygote. The other half of the chromosomes are in the female egg. Unlike ejaculatory fluid which can be seen clearly, sperm cells can only be seen under a microscope.
Various viruses that can be transmitted through male semen from unprotected sex
Based on research conducted from the University of Oxford and the Public Health Rapid Support Team in the UK, researchers found that 27 different viruses can be transmitted through semen.
The research was conducted after researchers looked at a study published in the journal Emerging Infectious Disease in 2016 which reported that RNA from the Zika virus can live in semen for several months. Well, from the results of this study the experts then conducted a review and studied more than 3,800 scientific reports to find out other viruses that can live and are transmitted through semen.
As a result, the researchers found as many as 27 viruses other than Zika, which can live in semen and infect the bloodstream. Examples are Ebola, HIV, hepatitis C, herpes, chikungunya, chicken pox, and mumps. The Ebola virus can even be found in the semen of former sufferers for 3 months to 1 year after recovery.
Some of them, such as HIV, Ebola, herpes, and hepatitis may not be too surprising because these four diseases are known to be very commonly transmitted through unprotected sex. However, the majority of the pathogens identified by researchers have not been studied as sexually transmitted diseases.
Further research is still needed to deepen these findings
The researchers emphasized that the presence of viral particles in the ejaculatory fluid does not mean that every virus always causes sexually transmitted infections or diseases. The reason is, the researchers suspect that sex is not the most efficient means of transmission for some of the viruses that have been mentioned above. Although there are viruses that have been proven to be transmitted through sexual contact, for example the HIV, Ebola and herpes viruses.
Infectious disease expert Dr Pritish Tosh who was quoted on the WebMD page stated that in most cases, the Zika virus is transmitted through mosquito bites rather than through sexual contact. Not only that, most people are also more likely to catch the Epstein-Barr virus, which causes mononucleosis, from sneezing or coughing than through sex.
That is why, further research is needed to determine the potential for transmission of these viruses through semen. It is worth studying to know and understand the effects of any viruses that affect fertility and embryo development.
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