The Gut Virome; missing link between Gut Bacteria and host immunity;
I am interested in what is common to ME/CFS, Long-Covid, and even HIV/Aids;
All three are related to Viral/Bacterial changes affecting the Gut leading to abnormal Microbiome and overlapping Gastrointestinal symptoms due to the necessity of the Virus to proliferate using two modes within Gut Bacteria that can advantaged host Bacteria through Phage activity; at the expense of the Symbiotic Microbiome. ME/CFS/Long-Covid may have a great deal in common with HIV and changes to Gastrointestinal Bacteria as a primary rather than secondary cause;
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is also common among patients with HIV-associated autonomic neuropathies (HIV-AN) and may be associated with increased bacterial translocation and elevated plasma inflammatory biomarkers.16 May 2019 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31098925
The relationship between HIV-1-associated mucosal pathogenesis and the microbiome is likely a two-way street with changes in mucosa leading to dysbiosis and with dysbiosis subsequently playing a critical role in sustaining the disruption in intestinal homeostasis and further contributing to HIV-1 associated immune ... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5101180 (The Gut Microbiome and HIV-1 Pathogenesis: A Two Way Street).
The gut microbiome in human immunodeficiency virus infection
Gili Zilberman-Schapira, Niv Zmora, [...], and Eran Elinav
Additional article information
Abstract
HIV/AIDS causes severe dysfunction of the immune system through CD4+ T cell depletion, leading to dysregulation of both the adaptive and innate immune arms. A primary target for viral infection is the gastrointestinal tract, which is a reservoir of CD4+ T cells. In addition to being a major immune hub, the human gastrointestinal tract harbors trillions of commensal microorganisms, the microbiota, which have recently been shown to play critical roles in health. Alterations in the composition and function of microbiota have been implicated in a variety of ‘multi-factorial’ disorders, including infectious, autoimmune, metabolic, and neoplastic disorders. It is widely accepted that, in addition to its direct role in altering the gastrointestinal CD4+ T cell compartment, HIV infection is characterized by gut microbiota compositional and functional changes. Herein, we review such alterations and discuss their potential local and systemic effects on the HIV-positive host, as well as potential roles of novel microbiota-targeting treatments in modulating HIV progression and associated adverse systemic manifestations.
Keywords: Microbiota, Dysbiosis, Gastrointestinal tract, AIDS, HIV, Anti-retroviral therapy, CD4+ T cells
''Gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary disorders are among the most frequent complaints in patients with HIV disease. Advances in antiretroviral therapy are changing the nature of HIV disease and affecting many of the gastrointestinal manifestations. Before combination antiretroviral therapy, the best estimates suggested that 50 to 93% of all patients with HIV disease had marked GI symptoms during the course of their illness.(1,2) Recent clinicalexperience suggests that effective anti-HIV therapy and chemoprophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii (PCP), Mycobacterium avium (MAC), and cytomegalovirus(CMV) may delay/prevent the occurrence of gastrointestinal opportunistic infections.''
The ME Association shows a history of ME outbreaks associated with Viral infections; but the relationship of Viral Phages and infections within the Microbiome has barely been studied, understood or taken into consideration. There are more Viral Phages in the Gut than Bacteria, some that take part in regulating the Microbiome, but it is likely to be vastly more complex than this; because even less of the Virome has been mapped than the Microbiome; and the complex relationships with the immune system, policing, signalling between Bacteria and immune system, control, balance within the Microbiome and destroying unwanted bacteria within this symbiosis of embedded Phage etc. has barely been understood.
Some Phages are necessary to the Microbiome and have existed as long as bacteria, both evolving from the first cellular life while bacteria have become more complex, Virus have become simpler, but both continue to interact especially in the Microbiome that has evolved over millions of years and I believe that the misunderstandings of Science are contributing to devolving these fragile ecosystems (devolving both complex internal and external ecosystems) that are leading to ill health; and ME may have been one of the first but overlooked clues.
The gut virome: the ‘missing link’ between gut bacteria and host immunity?
Indrani Mukhopadhya, Jonathan P. Segal, [...], and Georgina L. Hold
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6435874/
General Description;
''Eukaryotic viruses have an important impact on human health, ranging from mild, self-limited acute or chronic infections to those with serious or fatal consequences. Prokaryotic viruses can also influence human health by affecting the structure and function of bacterial communities that make up the human microbiome.
DNA and RNA viruses that collectively make up the intestinal virome outnumber bacterial cells by as much as 10:1, and include eukaryotic viruses which infect eukaryotic cells, endogenous retroviruses, bacterial viruses (i.e. bacteriophages) and archaeal viruses that infect archaea.
These virus-driven phenotypic changes can be beneficial to the host or increase the risk of disease.6
Currently, it is estimated that less than 1% of the virome has been sequenced, leaving the bulk of the virome yet to be characterized.
8 ''
Hunter P. The secret garden’s gardeners: research increasingly appreciates the crucial role of gut viruses for human health and disease. EMBO Rep 2013; 14: 683–685. [PMC free article][PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Sequencing of eukaryotic viral communities in faecal samples from children has identified Picobirnaviridae, Adenoviridae, Anelloviridae and Astroviridae family members, and species such as bocaviruses, enteroviruses, rotaviruses and sapoviruses.
12 In addition, disease-associated viruses such as herpesviruses, polyomaviruses, anelloviruses, adenoviruses, papillomaviruses, polyomaviruses, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are also present in the intestinal viromes of some individuals, indicating that the gastrointestinal (GI) tract contains viruses capable of infecting host cells. As the majority of humans remain asymptomatic it has been proposed that these pathogenic viruses (pathobionts) have become part of the metagenome of normal individuals, with the majority rarely causing disease and remaining dormant within the host.
I also had Glandular Fever at the point that my illness started; although there are a host of other causes of Bacterial Overgrowth including other underlying conditions such as Diabetes; I also had a lot of contact with Pesticides and dis-regulation of the microbiome may be multi factorial. But the above article indicates that Bacteria can be advantaged by some Phages that allow them to proliferate by destroying other Bacteria that are not protected by Phages thus altering the balance of the Microbiome (this on top of the huge amount of drugs and chemicals including Antibiotics that we take for granted, pass through and threaten the Microbiome; it is a wonder that more humans do not develop ME/CFS).
My theory relates to the drive or necessity of the virus to reproduce within Gut Bacteria, where the immune system may eventually deal with the Virus itself that has proliferated through the Lysing form of reproduction, but in Lysogenic cycle may have an advantage, where the drive of the Virus to reproduce through cloning or hijacking Bacteria may go undetected by the immune system if the Bacterial Hosts within the Gut are naturally found within this environment; that then go into overgrowth due to Viral drive or advantaged latency causing fluctuating abnormal organic acid production and symptoms of Bacterial Overgrowth which then act not as Symbiosis, but as a hidden infection (hidden because only the Organic Metabolites enter the bloodstream and spinal fluid to cause Flu like and Neurological symptoms; whereas no temperature is generated as in a normal infection, so that Doctors are unable to understand).
I had also been taking high doses of Non-Steroidals that inhibit COX 1&2 Prostaglandins and immune response for a number of years prior to the onset of illness and possibly during the period of E.B. infection. Non-Steroidal's may benefit those with overactive response to a Virus, but may be detrimental to those who have only mild symptoms by reducing immune response.
This is an ongoing discussion that can only advantage us as a species through so many minds working together to solve these complex issues; but it may be many decades before the Microbiome/Virome is fully understood and we only have primative tools such as Antibiotics and Probiotics that could possibly make things worse; I still believe that FMT can shortcut decades of research by providing balanced microbiome and possibly even endow beneficial Phages.
I am looking forward to a time when a Superdonor's Microbiome can be grown to provide the best Probiotics, which would mean that even with underlying issues, you could replace or replenish your microbiome on a regular basis to live a healthier life.
