Is There a Connection Between Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis Occurring in COVID-19 Patients and Post-COVID-19 Symptoms?

[ljimbo423]

Is There a Connection Between Chronic COVID-19 Syndrome and Changes in Human Gut Microbiome?

chronic COVID-19 syndrome = (CCS)

There is evidence from several studies that SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to changes in the microbiome. These changes can be caused by an infection directly in the gut, as a response to increased inflammation and crosstalk between the oral, lung, and gut microbiome.

In case a dysbiosis in the microbiome is established, it can lead to or fuel inflammation, increase intestinal permeability, and change the balance of signaling metabolites. In addition, there is a complex interplay of gene expression regulation via miRNA produced by the host, microbiomes, and SARS-CoV-2 (Hong and Kim, 2021; Omer and Kubra, 2021).


We observed that some of the symptoms described in CCS, like fatigue, sleep disturbance, joint pain, anxiety/depression, headache, and diarrhea, have also been correlated with a dysbiosis of the gut microbiome (Galland, 2014; Poroyko et al., 2016; Molina-Torres et al., 2019; Peirce and Alviña, 2019; Smith et al., 2019; Arzani et al., 2020; Matenchuk et al., 2020; Ogawa et al., 2020).

In our opinion, the similarities of symptoms are very high, and given the fact that dysbiosis has been shown as a consequence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, a connection between CSS and dysbiosis of the microbiome should be considered for further research despite the fact that there is no direct evidence for this link yet. There are, however, initial positive effects by using probiotics on acute COVID-19.


Here we postulate that, in a subset of patients, long-term changes (dysbiosis) in the gut microbiota might drive or support some symptoms, especially fatigue, joint pain, diarrhea, headache, depression, and anxiety, as seen in chronic COVID-19 syndrome.

Dysbiosis in the gut microbiome can influence the immune system, lung, and brain via the gut–lung axis and gut–brain axis as well as other organs via miRNA and metabolites produced by the microbiome. The gastrointestinal tract has not just a digestive function but also is responsible for achieving an immune system homeostasis.

Yeoh et al. pointed out that dysbiosis seen in COVID-19 patients drives inflammation and fuels long-term symptoms (Yeoh et al., 2021). More research needs to be done to investigate this possible correlation between gut microbiome and CSS. In case such a correlation can be found in a subgroup of patients, treatment can be initiated by nutritional changes, pre- and probiotic supplements, or fecal transplants.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.732838/full

 

[Pyrrhus]

Thanks so much for posting this (Hilpert and Mikut, 2021) publication!

Possibly related discussion:

Persistent coronaviral particles in the gut
https://forums.phoenixrising.me/threads/persistent-coronaviral-particles-in-the-gut.84272/

 

[Consul]

Amy proal says (in a recent interview with SolveME) that we now know that microbiomie is not just in the well known places like e.g the gut and the mouth but also in most of the tissues in the body as well as in the blood. So im just thinking that if the gut microbiome is in shambles then what does the rest of the body look like.

 

[ljimbo423]

So im just thinking that if the gut microbiome is in shambles then what does the rest of the body look like

That's a good question. I've not read much research about it. It makes sense that they would be connected.

The thing about gut dysbiosis that I find so interesting, is that it's been connected to most chronic diseases.

Personally I don't think that's a coincidence. I think gut dysbiosis and leaky gut are causing inflammation, and/or antibodies, that are driving these things.

 

[jepps]

Interestingly my microbiome test (Thrive) after Covid-19-infection showed the best test, I ever had. I make microbiome tests since 2014 every three months (previous Ubiome, now Thrive). Each test shows very low bifidobacteria within a range of 0,01 - 1% (I have FUT2 homozygot, maybe this is the reason).

I did the microbiome test 2 weeks after infection and bifidobacteria are at 4,7%.

Also high is eubacterium (9,5%, until now within a range of 0,01 - 1,9%).

Both bacteria: eubacterium and bifidobactericeae are underrepresented in the gut of patients with heavy infections.

 

[ljimbo423]

Interestingly my microbiome test (Thrive) after Covid-19-infection showed the best test, I ever had.

I think you were either lucky, or you were doing things that helped prevent gut dysbiosis from the infection, or both. At least several studies have shown Covid 19 infection to cause gut dysbiosis.

I don't think a Covid 19 infection causes gut dysbiosis in everyone, but it does in many people.

 

[ljimbo423]

This quote is from the Yeoh et al., 2021 paper referenced in my original post.

Conclusion: Associations between gut microbiota composition, levels of cytokines and inflammatory markers in patients with COVID-19 suggest that the gut microbiome is involved in the magnitude of COVID-19 severity possibly via modulating host immune responses.

Furthermore, the gut microbiota dysbiosis after disease resolution could contribute to persistent symptoms, highlighting a need to understand how gut microorganisms are involved in inflammation and COVID-19.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

This significant new information seems to suggest they can predict who will get long haul, they can also treat it by adjusting the gut microbiome.

so how long will we wait for further help?

https://www.todayonline.com/world/c...ng-team-develops-test-risk-long-covid-1870026

https://www.todayonline.com/world/c...ng-team-develops-test-risk-long-covid-1870026

HONG KONG — A simple stool test can tell recovered Covid-19 patients their risks of suffering the effects of long Covid with 90 per cent accuracy, researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have found.

Prof Ng’s team was the first in the world to discover that long Covid patients have a distinct gut microorganism known as a microbiome, with an imbalance in the amount of different bacteria present.

The imbalance may cause a shortage of “good” bacteria linked to the respiratory system, resulting in prolonged coughing and shortness of breath or an abundance of “bad” bacteria linked to fatigue, insomnia and loss of taste.

...

In June 2020, the team developed a probiotic supplement called SIM01, to treat the imbalance in gut bacteria caused by Covid-19.

It was tested on 36 infected patients who took the supplement for four weeks, with the outcomes compared with another group that was not given SIM01.

The team found that 94 per cent of those who took the supplement did not show any long Covid symptoms over the following year.

“About 76 per cent of those who did not take SIM01 developed long Covid, while only 6 per cent of those who took SIM01 had long Covid, so I think the prevention application is very promising,” she said.

SIM01 has been made into a supplement that is sold by GenieBiome, a CUHK biotechnology spin-off, with a box of 28 sachets costing HK$499 (S$87).

 

[Rufous McKinney]

I just went thru an acute stomach event that maybe involved some other virus activating, but it shut off my intestines and then no food went into my intestines for many days.

My small bowel feel very different, is generating very little wind/bloat/or typical gas it likes to do. I"m sort of not avoiding like bread, which I need to watch and its just odd my gut seems to be better right now after being really sick for three weeks.