Abstract |
The human oral and gut commensal microbes play vital roles in the development and maintenance of immune homeostasis, while its association with susceptibility and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection is barely understood. In this study, we investigated the dynamics of the oral and intestinal flora before and after the clearance of SARS-CoV-2 in 53 COVID-19 patients, and then examined their microbiome alterations in comparison to 76 healthy individuals. A total of 140 throat swab samples and 81 fecal samples from these COVID-19 patients during hospitalization, and 44 throat swab samples and 32 fecal samples from sex and age-matched healthy individuals were collected and then subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing and viral load inspection. We found that SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with alterations of the microbiome community in patients as indicated by both alpha and beta diversity indexes. Several bacterial taxa were identified related to SARS-CoV-2 infection, wherein elevated Granulicatella and Rothia mucilaginosa were found in both oral and gut microbiome. The SARS-CoV-2 viral load in those samples was also calculated to identify potential dynamics between COVID-19 and the microbiome. These findings provide a meaningful baseline for microbes in the digestive tract of COVID-19 patients and will shed light on new dimensions for disease pathophysiology, potential microbial biomarkers, and treatment strategies for COVID-19.
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Authors | Yongjian Wu, Xiaomin Cheng, Guanmin Jiang, Huishu Tang, Siqi Ming, Lantian Tang, Jiahai Lu, Cheng Guo, Hong Shan, Xi Huang |
Journal | NPJ biofilms and microbiomes
(NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes)
Vol. 7
Issue 1
Pg. 61
(07 22 2021)
ISSN: 2055-5008 [Electronic] United States |
PMID | 34294722
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Copyright | © 2021. The Author(s). |
Chemical References |
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Topics |
- Bacteria
(classification, genetics)
- COVID-19
(diagnosis, microbiology, virology)
- Feces
(microbiology)
- Female
- Gastrointestinal Microbiome
(physiology)
- Hospitalization
- Humans
- Male
- Mouth
(microbiology)
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
- SARS-CoV-2
(genetics, isolation & purification)
- Viral Load
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