Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 25, 2025
07:02
Quantifying Human Norovirus Virus-like Particles Binding to Commensal Bacteria Using Flow Cytometry
Published on: April 29, 2020
8.2K
The Interaction Between Viruses and Intestinal Microbiota: A Review
Zhiming Lv1, Dongwei Xiong1, Jichao Shi2
1Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Liaoning Province, College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, China.
Current Microbiology
|August 5, 2021
Summary
This review explores how gut microbes influence viral infections, either by inhibiting or promoting them. Probiotics show potential for treating viral diseases by modulating this interaction.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Microbiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Viruses pose significant threats to human and animal health, impacting immunity and metabolism.
- The digestive tract's innate microbial barriers maintain host homeostasis, influencing defense against viral infections.
- Understanding virus-microbiota interactions is crucial for disease pathogenesis research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent studies on the interaction mechanisms between intestinal microbiota and viruses.
- To elucidate how gut microbiota can inhibit or promote viral infections.
- To summarize the therapeutic potential of probiotics in treating viral infections.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent scientific studies.
- Analysis of mechanisms underlying microbiota-virus interactions.
- Synthesis of findings on probiotic-based viral infection treatments.
Main Results:
- Microbiota interactions with viruses are twofold: inhibition and promotion of viral infection.
- Specific microbial communities can enhance host defense against viral pathogens.
- Other interactions may facilitate viral entry or replication.
Conclusions:
- The gut microbiota plays a complex role in viral pathogenesis.
- Targeting microbiota-virus interactions, particularly with probiotics, offers a promising therapeutic strategy for viral infections.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Pharmacokinetics: Drug–Food and Drug–Viral Interactions
38
A drug interaction occurs when the concurrent use of another drug, food, or an external substance alters the pharmacological activity of a drug. This interaction can modify the action of the original drug, affecting its effectiveness and safety.Drug–food interactions are significant as they impact drug absorption, metabolism, and excretion. For example, grapefruit juice is a well-known disruptor of drug metabolism. It inhibits the cytochrome P450 3A4 enzyme, crucial for the metabolism of...
38
01:29Bacterial Flora of the Large Intestine
773
The gut microbiome is formed by a vast and diverse community of bacteria that colonizes our large intestine. These bacteria start residing in the gut from birth and continue diversifying throughout life, influenced by factors such as diet, lifestyle, and stress. The gut bacterial community also includes bacteria from food and those that enter the colon through the anus.
The normal gut flora of the colon plays a critical role in generating essential vitamins such as vitamins K, B5, and B7.
The normal gut flora of the colon plays a critical role in generating essential vitamins such as vitamins K, B5, and B7.
773
00:57Viral Recombination
24.1K
Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
24.1K
01:18Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Antimicrobials as Antidiarrheal Agents
261
Acute diarrhea, a common gastrointestinal disturbance, is characterized by the rapid evacuation of fluid stools, leading to an excessive weight in fluid. This condition typically arises from disorders affecting intestinal water and electrolyte transport. It can be triggered by an increased osmotic load within the intestine, excessive secretion of electrolytes and water, mucosal exudation of protein and fluid, or altered intestinal motility. The primary risks of acute diarrhea are dehydration...
261
01:23Anatomy of the Intestines
84.4K
Although digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids may begin in the stomach, it is completed in the intestine. The absorption of nutrients, water, and electrolytes from food and drink also occurs in the intestine. The intestines can be divided into two structurally distinct organs—the small and large intestines.
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the...
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the...
84.4K
01:29Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics
534
Microorganisms play a fundamental role in vaccine development, gene therapy, and therapeutic production. Their biological properties are harnessed to advance medicine and public health. Beyond immunization, microorganisms contribute to gut health, antibiotic synthesis, and genetic disease treatment.Live Attenuated and Inactivated VaccinesLive attenuated vaccines, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, utilize weakened forms of pathogens to closely resemble natural infections.
534