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Beware Males :Air pollution may lower your sperm quality

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Lucknow : Men who regularly get exposed to air pollution may be at an increased risk of having poorer quality sperm, resulting in a spell of infertility for a “significant number of couples”, researchers warned.

Increased exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) — fine inhalable particles that have diameters of 2.5 micrometres or less — have been previously found to reduce growth of working memory in kids, stroke, respiratory problems, kidney, bladder and colorectal cancer besides causing lung cancer.

 

In the new study, researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong found a strong association between PM2.5 exposure and abnormal sperm shape.

For every five micrograms per cubic meter air or µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 across two-year average was associated with a significant drop in normal sperm shape/size of 1.29 per cent.

And it was associated with a 26 per cent heightened risk of being in the bottom 10 per cent of normal sperm size and shape.

However, it was also associated with a significant increase in sperm numbers, possibly as a compensatory mechanism to combat the detrimental effects on shape and size, the researchers said.

“Although the effect estimates are small and the significance might be negligible in a clinical setting, this is an important public health challenge,” said Xiang Qian Lao, from the varsity.

“Given the ubiquity of exposure to air pollution, a small effect size of PM2.5 on sperm normal morphology may result in a significant number of couples with infertility,” Lao warned.

For the study, published in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine, the team examined nearly 6,500 men aged 15 to 49 year old in Taiwan.

The researchers called for global strategies to minimise the impact of air pollution on reproductive health.

 

Corona

Covid toll in Karnataka is a worrying sign for state government

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Even though Karnataka recorded the lowest number of Covid deaths in April since the virus struck first in 2020, the state is recording a rise in the positivity rate (1.50 per cent). Five people died from the Covid infections in April as per the statistics released by the state health department. In March, the positivity rate stood around 0.53 per cent. In the first week of April it came down to 0.38 per cent, second week registered 0.56 per cent, third week it rose to 0.79 per cent and by end of April the Covid positivity rate touched 1.19 per cent.

on an average 500 persons used to succumb everyday in the peak of Covid infection, as per the data. Health experts said that the mutated Coronavirus is losing its fierce characteristics as vaccination, better treatment facilities and awareness among the people have contributed to the lesser number of Covid deaths.

During the 4th and 6th of April two deaths were reported in Bengaluru, one in Gadag district on April 8, two deaths were reported from Belagavi and Vijayapura on April 30. The first Covid case was reported in the state in March 2020 and three Covid deaths were recorded in the month. In the following month 21 people became victims to the deadly virus, and May 2020 recorded 22 deaths. The death toll recorded everyday after May crossed three digits. However, the third wave, which started in January 2

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