COVID Not Only Affects Your Lungs, Can Be Problematic For Your Gut Too; Here's How

COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory disease, but reports suggest that it can affect other organs of your body. A new study explains coronavirus can trigger gut problems.

The novel coronavirus, first identified in the winter of 2019 has been the subject of every conversation due to its devastating impact on people's lives. COVID-19, which was initially considered a respiratory disease has shown evidence that it can potentially affect other organs as well, including the gut. A new study has found the possible link of how COVID leads to digestive problems.

The research, which was published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, looked at gastrointestinal tract samples from people who died after being diagnosed with Covid-19 during the pandemic's first wave.

Understanding The Link Between COVID And Gut Health

According to the researchers from King's College London, the system that typically regulates the composition of microbial populations called Peyer's Patches was substantially disrupted in severe Covid-19. This was true regardless of whether there was evidence of infection in the intestines.

While severe Covid-19 can cause breathing difficulties and a high fever, some patients may also develop diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting, indicating that the gastrointestinal tract is involved. Professor Jo Spencer, from King's College London, said, "This study shows that in severe Covid-19, this key component of the immune system is disrupted, whether the intestine itself is infected with SARS-CoV-2 or not. This would likely contribute to the disturbances in intestinal microbial populations in Covid-19 reported by others."

The shape and cellularity of Peyer's Patches - a collection of lymphoid follicles that line the small intestines - had been altered in the samples, independent of the virus's local levels. In individuals who died from Covid, this included the depletion of germinal centres, which usually generate antibody-producing cells. Dysbiosis, or a loss of microbial diversity, could arise as a result of low immunity. As per the study, healthy intestinal bacteria populations are crucial for optimum health, and lymphoid tissue in the gut generally maintains them.

(With inputs from agencies)