Ladies, here are the 20+ diseases hiding in his sperms you didn’t know about

You’re probably quite fond of your sperm, that innocent-looking yet powerful reproductive seed that glistens softly against the night sky. Bad news, though, turns out it’s a disease-ridden cesspool.

Worryingly, we’re not even talking about the fact that there are carcinogens in your semen, by the way, there are carcinogens in your semen. No, we’re talking about something else. Specifically, this week, a new meta-analysis conducted by scientists at the University of Oxford discovered that, along with Zika, there are 26 other viruses that can live in human semen and go on to infect the bloodstream.

Let’s call it the “Other 27 gang,” a somewhat exclusive group that includes the viruses that cause Ebola, HIV, Hepatitis B and herpes. Though not all 27 viruses are capable of being transmitted from person to person, this sperm squad does have other consequences, such as reducing fertility or increasing the risk of acquiring an STD. Other viruses in your sperm, meanwhile, are capable of causing mutations in the DNA of sperm, which is great news for future generations.

Name: Adenoviruses. These viruses are a common cause of respiratory illness; most infections, however, aren’t severe. There’s no evidence of sexual transmission.

Name: Transfusion-transmitted virus. TTV is believed to be asymptomatic.

Name: Lassa fever virus. The Lassa virus is most commonly spread by rats in West Africa and is the cause of 5,000 deaths a year. It’s currently not known if Lassa can be transmitted sexually, but we do know that if it’s not treated early, it can be fatal.

Name: Rift Valley fever virus .  Rift Valley can cause fever, headache, muscle pains, and liver abnormalities. It’s fatal in around 1 percent of cases. Rift Valley can cause bleeding in the brain. If you’re one of the unlucky few, your chance of survival is a flip of the coin.

Name: Ebola virus.  Ebola is the cause of a severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever. Considering the mortality rate is between 83 and 90 percent, and that the virus can be passed on via human-to-human transmission, yes, you should panic.

Name: Marburg virus. A virus that causes an extremely dangerous hemorrhagic fever. It can be  be passed along through sperm.

Name: GB virus C. Formerly known as Hepatitis G, this virus isn’t known to cause diseases in humans.

Name: Hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis C virus is the cause of hepatitis C and some cancers, such as liver cancer and lymphomas, there’s no vaccine for Hep C.

Name: Zika virus . Although Zika’s symptoms for adults are mainly fever, skin rashes and joint pains, during pregnancy Zika can cause congenital brain abnormalities in the child.  Zika can survive in semen for up to six months.

Name: Hepatitis B virus.  Hep B virus is the cause of Hep B, a chronic liver disease with symptoms that include vomiting, yellowish skin, tiredness, dark urine and abdominal pain.

Name: Cytomegalovirus.  A whole genus of viruses that can causes diseases that include mono and pneumonia.  The infection is typically unnoticed in healthy people, so unless your immune system is weak or compromised, you’ll be fine.

Name: Epstein Barr virus.  This virus can cause mono and is associated with certain forms of cancer, including Hodgkin lymphoma. Should I Panic?: Chances are, you’ve already been affected with this version of the herpes virus, considering about 90 percent of all adults have evidence of the previous infection. So unless you’re sick or dying, you shouldn’t have much to worry about.

Name: Human herpesvirus 8.  Also known as the Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpes virus, this virus appears as a skin cancer commonly occurring in AIDS patients.
Should I Panic?: Infection with this virus is thought to be lifelong, but as long as you have a healthy immune system, the virus will stay in check.

Name: Human herpesvirus 6.  Not much, unless you’re an infant.  Although it’s unknown if HHV-6 can be transmitted via semen, even in infants it generally only causes fever and rashes, so there’s not too much to worry about.

Name: Human simplex viruses 1 and 2.  Depending on which one you have (Herpes 1 is oral herpes, while herpes 2 is genital) you’re going to see blisters around your mouth or around your… well, you know.  While there’s no cure for either strain, there are plenty of ways to keep breakouts at a minimum.

Name: Varicella zoster virus.  Causes chicken pox.  This virus is likely to cause shingles if you’re over the age of 60, so wrap up whilst sexing it up at your local nursing home.

Name: Mumps virus.  This virus is the causative agent of mumps disease, characterized by swelling in your salivary glands. Technically the virus can cause deafness, but you were almost certainly vaccinated against it as a kid.

Name: Adeno-associated virus.  AAV is a small virus that currently isn’t known to cause any disease.

Name: BK virus.  Not much unless you have a compromised immune system, in which case, you can expect a mild respiratory infection and fever.  Unless you have a weakened immune system as a result of a kidney transplant, significant consequences are uncommon. In other words, there are plenty of other viruses in your semen that deserve a greater portion of your panic.

Name: JC virus.  Another common disease that’s infected most people by the time they’re adults, JC is genetically similar to BK Virus.

Name: Simian virus 40.  Some controversial research claims that SV40 could cause cancer in humans, but the detection methods used in the research are generally regarded as unreliable.  You’re probably better served saving your panicking for the next virus.

Name: Human T-cell lymphoma virus 1.  Implicated in a few different types of lymphoma, Human T-cell lymphoma virus is believed to occur via sexual contact, breast milk and blood transfusions. The research in discordant couples showed that the probability of sexual transmission is about 22 per 100,000 in the population.

Name: Chikungunya virus. Symptoms include fever and joint pain, but most people get better within a week.The risk of death is roughly 1 in 1,000.

Name: Simian foamy virus. This has been tentatively linked to several diseases but without any real evidence.