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

Posted on 2021-10-17 - 03:16
Abstract 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 (≈ 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 (≈ 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.

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Gut Pathogens

AUTHORS (17)

Flavio De Maio
Gianluca Ianiro
Gaetano Coppola
Francesco Santopaolo
Valeria Abbate
Delia Mercedes Bianco
Fabio Del Zompo
Giuseppe De Matteis
Massimo Leo
Antonio Nesci
Alberto Nicoletti
Maurizio Pompili
Giovanni Cammarota
Brunella Posteraro
Maurizio Sanguinetti
Antonio Gasbarrini
Francesca Romana Ponziani
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