Immune system
The gut microbiome plays an important role in the education and function of the immune system and acquired immunity (1,2,3). Both antibiotics and probiotics influence the effectiveness of vaccinations (4,5) and the microbiome and certain probiotics influence the course of viral infections (6,7). It is striking that in Covid-19 patients almost one in five patients suffered from diarrhoea, vomiting, or abdominal pain (8) and that the SARS-CoV-2 virus was found in feces and in Dutch sewage (9,10,11). ). In addition, loss of sense of smell is mentioned as a symptom of Covid-19 (12). Intriguingly, this has been linked to the virus’s penetration into the central nervous system, where it may also play a role in respiratory problems via the respiratory center (13,14). The gut-blood barrier and blood-brain barrier are affected by the same factors, and the microbiome plays a role (15,16). Although at first glance the microbiome does not seem to have anything to do with Covid-19, it can indeed play a role and especially immunogenically active bacteria and intestinal barrier function deserve attention.
References:
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1223490
- https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.2505
- https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.3780
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.08.010
- https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9111175
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2016.00041
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2016.00633
- https://journals.lww.com/ajg/Documents/COVID_Digestive_Symptoms_AJG_Preproof.pdf
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2020.02.050
- https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.3786
- https://www.rivm.nl/nieuws/nieuwe-coronavirus-aangetroffen-in-rioolwater
- https://www.entuk.org/loss-sense-smell-marker-covid-19-infection
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00122
- https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.25728
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.11.021
- https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpgi.00048.2015