Improved gut microbiota features after the resolution of SARS‑CoV‑2 infection

Background The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has a tropism for the gastrointestinal tract and several studies have shown an alteration of the gut microbiota in hospitalized infected patients. However, long-term data on microbiota changes after recovery are lacking. Met...

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Published in:Gut pathogens 2021-10, Vol.13 (1), p.1-62, Article 62
Main Authors: De Maio, Flavio, Ianiro, Gianluca, Coppola, Gaetano, Santopaolo, Francesco, Abbate, Valeria, Bianco, Delia Mercedes, Del Zompo, Fabio, De Matteis, Giuseppe, Leo, Massimo, Nesci, Antonio, Nicoletti, Alberto, Pompili, Maurizio, Cammarota, Giovanni, Posteraro, Brunella, Sanguinetti, Maurizio, Gasbarrini, Antonio, Ponziani, Francesca Romana
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antibiotics
Biological diversity
Comparative analysis
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Cytokines
Digestive system
Discriminant analysis
Gastroenterology
Gastrointestinal system
Gastrointestinal tract
Gut microbiota
Health aspects
Infections
Intestinal microflora
Letter to the Editor
Microbiomes
Microbiota
Microbiota (Symbiotic organisms)
Pneumonia
SARS-CoV-2
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Systematic review
Tropism
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Summary:Background The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has a tropism for the gastrointestinal tract and several studies have shown an alteration of the gut microbiota in hospitalized infected patients. However, long-term data on microbiota changes after recovery are lacking. Methods We enrolled 30 patients hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2-related pneumonia. Their gut microbiota was analyzed within 48 h from the admission and compared with (1) that of other patients admitted for suspected bacterial pneumonia (control group) (2) that obtained from the same subject 6 months after nasopharyngeal swab negativization. Results Gut microbiota alpha-diversity increased 6 months after the resolution of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Bacteroidetes relative abundance was higher ([appox. equal to] 36.8%) in patients with SARS-CoV-2, and declined to 18.7% when SARS-CoV-2 infection resolved (p = 0.004). Conversely, Firmicutes were prevalent ([appox. equal to] 75%) in controls and in samples collected after SARS-CoV-2 infection resolution (p = 0.001). Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae and Blautia increased after SARS-CoV-2 infection resolution, rebalancing the gut microbiota composition. Conclusion SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with changes in the gut microbiome, which tend to be reversed in long-term period. Keywords: Gut microbiota, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, Pneumonia
ISSN:1757-4749
1757-4749
DOI:10.1186/s13099-021-00459-9