Gastrointestinal Involvement in SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Overview

Journal Viruses

Publisher MDPI

Specialty Microbiology

Date 2022 Jun 24

PMID 35746659

Authors

Tsung-Hsien Chen

Ming-Tse Hsu

Ming-Yang Lee

Chu-Kuang Chou

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 has evolved into a virus that primarily results in mild or asymptomatic disease, making its transmission more challenging to control. In addition to the respiratory tract, SARS-CoV-2 also infects the digestive tract. Some gastrointestinal symptoms occur with or before respiratory symptoms in patients with COVID-19. Respiratory infections are known to cause intestinal immune impairment and gastrointestinal symptoms. When the intestine is inflamed, cytokines affect the lung immune response and inflammation through blood circulation. The gastrointestinal microbiome may be a modifiable factor in determining the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease severity. The development of oral SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates and the maintenance of gut microbiota profiles may contribute to the early control of COVID-19 outbreaks. To this end, this review summarizes information on the gastrointestinal complications caused by SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-2 infection, the gastrointestinal-lung axis immune response, potential control strategies for oral vaccine candidates and maintaining intestinal microbiota homeostasis.

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