The Gut Microbiota of Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19.
Front Cell Infect Microbiol
; 11: 670424, 2021.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1315951
ABSTRACT
The SARS-CoV-2-associated COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the global healthcare system. Although the best-known symptoms are dry cough and pneumonia, viral RNA has been detected in the stool and about half of COVID-19 patients exhibit gastrointestinal upset. In this scenario, special attention is being paid to the possible role of the gut microbiota (GM). Fecal samples from 69 COVID-19 patients from three different hospitals of Bologna (Italy) were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene-based sequencing. The GM profile was compared with the publicly available one of healthy age- and gender-matched Italians, as well as with that of other critically ill non-COVID-19 patients. The GM of COVID-19 patients appeared severely dysbiotic, with reduced diversity, loss of health-associated microorganisms and enrichment of potential pathogens, particularly Enterococcus. This genus was far overrepresented in patients developing bloodstream infections (BSI) and admitted to the intensive care unit, while almost absent in other critically ill non-COVID-19 patients. Interestingly, the percentage of patients with BSI due to Enterococcus spp. was significantly higher during the COVID-19 pandemic than in the previous 3 years. Monitoring the GM of critically ill COVID-19 patients could help clinical management, by predicting the onset of medical complications such as difficult-to-treat secondary infections.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Gastrointestinal Microbiome
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Front Cell Infect Microbiol
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Fcimb.2021.670424
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