Gut-Lung Axis-A Compass to Navigate Microbiome Landscape in COVID-19
Published: November 1, 2023 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2023/66314.18683
Arunava Kali, Pravin Charles
1. Professor, Department of Microbiology, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, SBV University, Puducherry, India.
2. Professor, Department of Microbiology, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, SBV University, Puducherry, India.
Correspondence
Dr. Arunava Kali,
Professor, Department of Microbiology, MGMCRI, Puducherry, India.
E-mail: ak.arunava@gmail.com
The waves of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have disrupted healthcare systems globally, with a staggering number of confirmed cases reaching 593 million and a death toll of six million. While the primary target organ of COVID-19 is the lungs, the novel coronavirus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) also shows a preference for the intestinal epithelium, which expresses Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), a receptor necessary for viral entry into host cells. The composition and abundance of beneficial gut microbiota play a critical role in protecting against severe disease and complications, whereas dysbiosis contribute to systemic inflammation and immune imbalances during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Recent insights into the microbiome have emphasised the importance of the gut-lung axis and the microenvironments of the gut and lungs in the context of COVID-19. These findings offer opportunities for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. In this review, the significance of the gut-lung axis, as well as the intestinal and pulmonary microbiota, in COVID-19, were explored with a particular focus on their potential applications.
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