{"id":227356,"date":"2026-08-06T12:37:51","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T10:37:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microbiome-center.nl\/?p=227356"},"modified":"2026-08-06T14:48:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T12:48:01","slug":"8-microbiome-and-virus-infections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microbiome-center.nl\/en\/8-microbiome-and-virus-infections\/","title":{"rendered":"8: Microbiome and virus infections"},"content":{"rendered":"<style id=\"divi-off-canvas-hide-on-load\">\n[data-interaction-target=\"zwocqpy6qf\"] { display: none !important; }\n<\/style>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Microbiome various roles in virus infections<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Virus infections are affected by the microtree in various ways, ranging from a stimulant to an inhibitory effect (1). Viruses can make direct use of certain bacterial factors to achieve increased stability, infection rate, and virulence and can be indirectly aided by certain bacteria stimulating expression of regulatory T cells and thereby suppressing the immune system. On the other hand, the microbiome can also prevent viral infections. This can be done directly by binding, absorption, destabilization, and reduced replication of viruses, and indirectly by enhancing the immune response. These opposing effects of the microbiome emphasize the complexity of the host-microbiome interaction and the importance of proper balance. After all, a strong immune response is desirable in viral infections, but after the infection has been conquered, it is precisely the suppression of the immune response that is desired. Stimulation of anti-inflammatory regulatory T cells is also highly desirable in non-communicable diseases (2,3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Recovery after virus infections<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not only does the microbiome affect viral infections, viral infections also affect the microbiome in multiple ways (1,4). Changes in the gut microbiome have been found in various viruses, including the flu and norovirus. This is linked, among other things, to immune modulation by the virus, but also to changes in food intake during the illness period (5). Disturbances in the gut microbiome after a virus infection are therefore not unexpected, but sometimes they are of a more serious and\/or chronic nature. Infectious gastroenteritis, also with a viral cause, can cause the so-called post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) (6,7). A disturbed immune activity (including a high level of pro-inflammatory cytokines), a decreased intestinal permeability, and a disturbed gut microbiome play a role in this. In viruses that are mainly active outside the gut, such as Q fever, post-viral complaints such as fatigue also occur and an increased level of pro-inflammatory cytokines plays a role (8). Conversely, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME\/CFS) often appears to be viral in origin, again involving a shifted immune activity and disrupted gut microbiome (9,10). Virus infections can therefore have long-term consequences and the immune-modulating role of bacteria in the gut seems to be important in this regard. Unlike during acute viral infections, but similar to non-communicable diseases, the desirable adaptation seems unambiguous: inhibiting the inflammatory activity of the immune system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>References<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fimmu.2019.01551\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fimmu.2019.01551<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doir.org\/10.1136\/bmj.j5145\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/doir.org\/10.1136\/bmj.j5145<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jaci.2014.11.012\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jaci.2014.11.012<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.micinf.2017.09.002\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.micinf.2017.09.002<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1128\/mBio.03236-19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1128\/mBio.03236-19<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s11894-017-0595-4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s11894-017-0595-4<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/MCG.0000000000000924\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/MCG.0000000000000924<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0155884\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0155884<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.neucli.2017.02.002\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.neucli.2017.02.002<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s11011-019-0388-6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s11011-019-0388-6<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"et_pb_section_0 et_pb_section et_pb_section--fixed et_section_regular et_flex_section et-interaction-target-zwocqpy6qf preset--module--divi-section--default\" data-interaction-trigger=\"7hv7hq8l9z\" data-interaction-target=\"zwocqpy6qf\" id=\"video_canvas\"><div class=\"et_pb_row_0 et_pb_row et_flex_row\"><div class=\"et_pb_column_0 et_pb_column et-last-child et_flex_column et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et_flex_column_24_24 et_flex_column_24_24_tablet et_flex_column_24_24_phone\"><div class=\"et_pb_icon_0 et_pb_icon et_pb_module et_flex_module video_close\"><span class=\"et_pb_icon_wrap\"><span class=\"et-pb-icon\">\uf057<\/span><\/span><\/div><div class=\"et_pb_code_0 et_pb_code et_pb_module\" id=\"microbiome_center_video_iframe\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Microbiome various roles in virus infections Virus infections are affected by the microtree in various ways, ranging from a stimulant to an inhibitory effect (1). Viruses can make direct use of certain bacterial factors to achieve increased stability, infection rate, and virulence and can be indirectly aided by certain bacteria stimulating expression of regulatory T [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"doelgroep":[106],"class_list":["post-227356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","doelgroep-practitioner"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>8: Microbiome and virus infections - Microbiome Center<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"8: Microbiome and virus infections - Microbiome Center\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Microbiome various roles in virus infections Virus infections are affected by the microtree in various ways, ranging from a stimulant to an inhibitory effect (1). 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