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University of Nebraska Medical Center

COVID-19 disrupts gut microbiome

(NIH) The trillions of microbes living in the gut—bacteria, fungi, and viruses—are known collectively as the gut microbiome. Research has shown that changes in gut microbes may contribute to a variety of diseases and conditions.

COVID-19 patients often have imbalances in their gut microbes that allow antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections to take over. These patients also have a high rate of secondary bacterial infections that may be life-threatening. However, it hasn’t been clear how SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, affects the gut microbiome. Many critically ill COVID-19 patients receive antibiotics. These can also affect gut microbes. So, it’s not clear if COVID-19 or antibiotic treatment causes the microbiome disruptions in these patients.

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