Pathologic Characteristics of Digestive Tract and Liver in Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019

Overview

Journal Gastroenterol Clin North Am

Specialty Gastroenterology

Date 2023 Feb 22

PMID 36813426

Authors

Chunxiu Yang

Lijun Cai

Shu-Yuan Xiao

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

With the high prevalence of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), there has been increasing understanding of the pathologic changes associated with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This review summarizes the pathologic changes in the digestive system and liver associated with COVID-19, including the injuries induced by SARS-CoV2 infection of GI epithelial cells and the systemic immune responses. The common digestive manifestations associated with COVID-19 include anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea; the clearance of the viruses in COVID-19 patients with digestive symptoms is usually delayed. COVID-19-associated gastrointestinal histopathology is characterized by mucosal damage and lymphocytic infiltration. The most common hepatic changes are steatosis, mild lobular and portal inflammation, congestion/sinusoidal dilatation, lobular necrosis, and cholestasis.

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