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Published on: September 10, 2021
Clinical Insights into the Gastrointestinal Manifestations of COVID-19
Jonathan Kopel1, Abhilash Perisetti2, Mahesh Gajendran3
1Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA.
Insights
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can present with gastrointestinal symptoms and be transmitted via fecal-oral routes. Screening for these symptoms is crucial as the virus replicates in both respiratory and digestive tracts.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in December 2019 marked a significant global health crisis.
- COVID-19 is the seventh known human-infecting coronavirus, with previous strains like SARS and MERS causing high fatality rates, especially in the elderly.
- Fatalities in COVID-19 are disproportionately higher in individuals over 50 or with pre-existing multimorbid conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the significance of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in COVID-19 patients.
- To emphasize the potential for fecal-oral transmission of the virus.
- To underscore the need for further research into the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, diagnostics, treatment, and prevention of GI manifestations of COVID-19.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on COVID-19 transmission and symptoms.
- Analysis of reported cases of COVID-19 with gastrointestinal involvement.
- Identification of viral replication in both respiratory and digestive tracts.
Main Results:
- COVID-19 is primarily transmitted via respiratory droplets, but fecal-oral transmission is confirmed.
- Common symptoms include fever, cough, and myalgia, with atypical symptoms like diarrhea also reported.
- Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea are prevalent, and viral shedding can occur even after respiratory symptoms resolve.
Conclusions:
- Screening for gastrointestinal symptoms in COVID-19 patients is essential due to potential fecal-oral transmission.
- The virus's ability to replicate in both the respiratory and digestive systems requires further investigation.
- Comprehensive understanding of the gastrointestinal aspects of COVID-19 is critical for effective management and control.
Abstract:
The month of December 2019 became a critical part of the time of humanity when the first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was reported in the Wuhan, Hubei Province in China. As of April 13th, 2020, there have been approximately 1.9 million cases and 199,000 deaths across the world, which were associated with COVID-19. The COVID-19 is the seventh coronavirus to be identified to infect humans. In the past, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome were the two coronaviruses that infected humans with a high fatality, particularly among the elderly. Fatalities due to COVID-19 are higher in patients older than 50 years of age or those with multimorbid conditions. The COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets, with the most common symptoms being high fever, cough, myalgia, atypical symptoms included sputum production, headache, hemoptysis and diarrhea. However, the incubation period can range from 2 to 14 days without any symptoms. It is particularly true with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in which patients can still shed the virus even after pulmonary symptoms have resolved. Given the high percentage of COVID-19 patients that present with GI symptoms (e.g., nausea and diarrhea), screening patients for GI symptoms remain essential. Recently, cases of fecal-oral transmission of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the USA and China, indicating that the virus can replicate in both the respiratory and digestive tract. Moreover, the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, diagnostic procedures, treatments and prevention of the gastrointestinal manifestations of COVID-19 remain to be elucidated.
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