Paediatric acute epididymo-orchitis temporally related to SARS-CoV-2 infection : A case series and review of the literature

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INTRODUCTION: Acute epididymo-orchitis (AEO) is becoming an increasingly common differential diagnosis in children with acute scrotal pain. It has been noted in adult men that SARS-CoV-2 has a propensity for involving the testis and epididymis, affecting sperm and testosterone production. Our literature search revealed only one case report of COVID-19 presenting with epididymo-orchitis in a child. We present three more children who presented with AEO, all recovering from PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. This article reviews the post-inflammatory aetiology of paediatric epididymo-orchitis, and the propensity SARS-CoV-2 has for the testis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two pre-pubertal ten-year-old patients presented to the emergency department with a 48-h history of gradual onset unilateral scrotal pain and increasing erythema of the ipsilateral scrotal skin. One fifteen-year-old boy was referred for ongoing symptoms four days following a diagnosis of AEO made by his General Practitioner. On further questioning, all three had PCR-confirmed COVID infection two weeks prior to the onset of their scrotal symptoms and had just ended their isolation period. A literature search was then performed using the keywords SARS-CoV-2, testes and paediatric acute epididymo-orchitis.

DISCUSSION: The SARS-Cov-2 virus has a propensity for affecting the testis and epididymis. This puts patients at increased risk of acute epididymo-orchitis during COVID infections. The inflammation induced by the virus appears to affect the cells responsible for testosterone production and sperm quality. However, there is no evidence that viral transmission can happen via semen.

CONCLUSION: SARS-Cov-2 infection can lead to acute epididymo-orchitis. Knowledge of this is clinically significant, firstly to avoid unnecessary surgical intervention due to a mistaken diagnosis of testicular torsion and secondly, due to the potential of the virus to affect sperm quality and testosterone production.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:20

Enthalten in:

Journal of pediatric urology - 20(2024), 1 vom: 14. Feb., Seite 91-94

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Hoffmann, Kelly [VerfasserIn]
Gopal, Milan [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

3XMK78S47O
Case Reports
Children
Covid-19
Epididymo-orchitis
Journal Article
Post-inflammatory
Review
SARS-CoV-2
Testosterone

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 14.02.2024

Date Revised 14.03.2024

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1016/j.jpurol.2023.09.017

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM363004246