Gut Microbiome Alterations in COVID-19
- Author:
Zuo TAO
1
,
2
;
Wu XIAOJIAN
;
Wen WEIPING
;
Lan PING
Author Information
1. Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology,The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University,Sun Yat-sen University,Guangzhou 510655,China
2. Center for Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Research,The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University,Sun Yat-sen University,Guangzhou 510655,China
- Keywords:
COVID-19;
Gut;
Microbiome;
Immunity;
Infection
- From:
Genomics, Proteomics & Bioinformatics
2021;19(5):679-688
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Since the outset of the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic,the gut micro-biome in COVID-19 has garnered substantial interest,given its significant roles in human health and pathophysiology.Accumulating evidence is unveiling that the gut microbiome is broadly altered in COVID-19,including the bacterial microbiome,mycobiome,and virome.Overall,the gut microbial ecological network is significantly weakened and becomes sparse in patients with COVID-19,together with a decrease in gut microbiome diversity.Beyond the existence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2(SARS-CoV-2),the gut microbiome of patients with COVID-19 is also characterized by enrichment of opportunistic bacteria,fungi,and eukaryotic viruses,which are also associated with disease severity and presentation.Meanwhile,a multitude of symbiotic bacteria and bacteriophages are decreased in abundance in patients with COVID-19.Such gut microbiome features persist in a significant subset of patients with COVID-19 even after disease resolution,coinciding with'long CO VID'(also known as post-acute sequelae of COVID-19).The broadly-altered gut microbiome is largely a consequence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its downstream detrimental effects on the systemic host immunity and the gut milieu.The impaired host immunity and distorted gut microbial ecology,particularly loss of low-abundance beneficial bacteria and blooms of opportunistic fungi including Candida,may hinder the reassembly of the gut microbiome post COVID-19.Future investigation is necessary to fully understand the role of the gut microbiome in host immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection,as well as the long-term effect of COVID-19 on the gut microbiome in relation to the host health after the pandemic.
