Gut Mycobiome Changes During COVID-19 Disease.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Medical Mycology
• Human Microbiome Research

Background:

• Metagenomic studies traditionally focus on bacterial communities.
• The COVID-19 pandemic increased interest in fungal pathogens and the mycobiome.
• Understanding the gut mycobiome's role in infectious diseases is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate alterations in the human gut mycobiome composition during COVID-19 infection.
• To identify specific fungal species associated with COVID-19.
• To explore the correlation between gut mycobiome diversity and clinical factors like disease severity and age.

Main Methods:

• Collection of stool samples from COVID-19 patients at two time points: hospital admission and discharge.
• Metagenomic analysis to characterize the fungal communities within the gut.
• Statistical analysis to compare mycobiome composition between time points and patient groups.

Main Results:

• The fungal species *Geotrichum* sp. was significantly more abundant in COVID-19 patients upon hospital admission.
• *Geotrichum* sp. levels decreased from admission to discharge, suggesting a dynamic change during illness.
• Factors such as disease severity and patient age influenced the diversity of the gut fungal microbiota.

Conclusions:

• *Geotrichum* sp. may serve as a potential biomarker for COVID-19 infection status.
• Gut mycobiome composition undergoes significant changes during COVID-19 hospitalization.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the functional role of *Geotrichum* sp. in COVID-19 pathogenesis.