Zika Causes Infertility, Lasting Harm To Testes In Mice: Study

Researchers found that Zika infects and kills Sertoli cells, which maintain the barrier between the bloodstream and the testes and foster sperm growth.

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A STUDY of mice infected with Zika showed the virus caused lasting damage to key cells in the male reproductive system, resulting in shrunken testicles, lower levels of sex hormones and reduced fertility, US researchers said. So far, the findings are only in mice, but the result is worrisome enough to warrant further study because of possible implications for people, said Dr Michael Diamond of Washington University in St Louis, whose research was published in the journal Nature.