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Updated: Oct 24, 2025

Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction-based Analyses of Murine Intestinal Microbiota After Oral Antibiotic Treatment
Published on: November 17, 2018
[How does COVID-19 affect intestinal microbiota?]
1Klinik für Innere Med. II/Saalfeld, Thüringen-Kliniken "Georgius Agricola" GmbH, Rainweg 68, 07318, Saalfeld, Germany. pkonturek@web.de.
Background:
There is a bidirectional interaction between the intestines and lungs, the so-called lung-intestinal axis.
Method:
The review article reports on studies that deal with a possible influence of the intestinal microbiota on the immune response to a SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Results And Conclusions:
Studies have shown that COVID-19 is accompanied by dysbiosis that persists even after successful virus conversion (negative PCR). One study found that the severity of COVID-19 is associated with the intestinal microbiota. A dysbiosis could thus favor the so-called cytokine storm. There is indication that pre- and probiotics could boost the immune response in both the guts and lungs.
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