Correction of intestinal microbial composition disturbances as a potential link in complex therapy of patients with COVID-19

Features of the intestine conditions at patients with a new coronavirus infection

COVID-19 infection may present with gastrointestinal lesions in up to 25% of patients. One of the target organs of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is the intestine. The pathogenesis of intestinal damage in a new coronavirus infection remains unclear and requires further in-depth study. Possible mechanisms include a direct cytotoxic effect of the virus, a persistent reduction in butyrate-producing bacteria, side effects of drugs, Clostridioides difficile infection, microvascular thrombosis, and the immune-mediated inflammatory reactions in the intestine. The most common symptom of intestinal damage during coronavirus infection, both in the acute phase and in the post-COVID period, is diarrhea. The impact of many aggressive factors on the intestines can form both long-term functional disorders and be the cause of the onset of organic diseases. Treatment should be aimed at possible causes of intestinal damage (Clostridioides difficile), as well as reducing inflammation, restoring intestinal permeability, cytoprotection of mucosal cells, replenishing butyric acid deficiency. When choosing a therapy for intestinal disorders, preference should be given to drugs with a pleiotropic effect in order to influence various possible pathogenetic mechanisms.