Alterations in Gut Microbiota Composition in Patients with COVID-19: A Pilot Study of Whole Hypervariable 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing
It is crucial to consider the importance of the microbiome and the gut–lung axis in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This pilot study examined the fecal microbial composition of patients with COVID-19 following a 3-month recovery. Using for the first time metagenomic analysis based on all hyperv...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Biomedicines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/11/2/367 |
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| author | Dorota Mańkowska-Wierzbicka Joanna Zuraszek Adrianna Wierzbicka Marcin Gabryel Dagmara Mahadea Alina Baturo Oliwia Zakerska-Banaszak Ryszard Slomski Marzena Skrzypczak-Zielinska Agnieszka Dobrowolska |
| author_facet | Dorota Mańkowska-Wierzbicka Joanna Zuraszek Adrianna Wierzbicka Marcin Gabryel Dagmara Mahadea Alina Baturo Oliwia Zakerska-Banaszak Ryszard Slomski Marzena Skrzypczak-Zielinska Agnieszka Dobrowolska |
| author_sort | Dorota Mańkowska-Wierzbicka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | It is crucial to consider the importance of the microbiome and the gut–lung axis in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This pilot study examined the fecal microbial composition of patients with COVID-19 following a 3-month recovery. Using for the first time metagenomic analysis based on all hypervariable regions (V1-V9) of the 16S rRNA gene, we have identified 561 microbial species; however, 17 were specific only for the COVID-19 group (<i>n</i> = 8). The patients’ cohorts revealed significantly greater alpha diversity of the gut microbiota compared to healthy controls (<i>n</i> = 14). This finding has been demonstrated by operational taxonomic units (OTUs) richness (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and Chao1 index (<i>p</i> < 0.01). The abundance of the phylum <i>Verrucomicrobia</i> was 30 times higher in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy subjects. Accordingly, this disproportion was also noted at other taxonomic levels: in the class <i>Verrucomicrobiae</i>, the family <i>Verrucomicrobiaceae,</i> and the genus <i>Akkermansia</i>. Elevated pathobionts such as <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Bilophila wadsworthia,</i> and <i>Parabacteroides distasonis</i> were found in COVID-19 patients. Considering the gut microbiota’s ability to disturb the immune response, our findings suggest the importance of the enteric microbiota in the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This pilot study shows that the composition of the microbial community may not be fully restored in individuals with SARS-CoV-2 following a 3-month recovery. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:06:53Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9059 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:06:53Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomedicines |
| spelling | doaj.art-586cc0d01289455a907ff4920aff4fad2023-11-16T19:17:12ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592023-01-0111236710.3390/biomedicines11020367Alterations in Gut Microbiota Composition in Patients with COVID-19: A Pilot Study of Whole Hypervariable 16S rRNA Gene SequencingDorota Mańkowska-Wierzbicka0Joanna Zuraszek1Adrianna Wierzbicka2Marcin Gabryel3Dagmara Mahadea4Alina Baturo5Oliwia Zakerska-Banaszak6Ryszard Slomski7Marzena Skrzypczak-Zielinska8Agnieszka Dobrowolska9Department of Gastroenterology, Dietetics and Internal Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, PolandInstitute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 60-479 Poznan, PolandDepartment of Gastroenterology, Dietetics and Internal Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, PolandDepartment of Gastroenterology, Dietetics and Internal Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, PolandDepartment of Gastroenterology, Dietetics and Internal Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, PolandDepartment of Gastroenterology, Dietetics and Internal Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, PolandInstitute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 60-479 Poznan, PolandInstitute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 60-479 Poznan, PolandInstitute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 60-479 Poznan, PolandDepartment of Gastroenterology, Dietetics and Internal Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, PolandIt is crucial to consider the importance of the microbiome and the gut–lung axis in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This pilot study examined the fecal microbial composition of patients with COVID-19 following a 3-month recovery. Using for the first time metagenomic analysis based on all hypervariable regions (V1-V9) of the 16S rRNA gene, we have identified 561 microbial species; however, 17 were specific only for the COVID-19 group (<i>n</i> = 8). The patients’ cohorts revealed significantly greater alpha diversity of the gut microbiota compared to healthy controls (<i>n</i> = 14). This finding has been demonstrated by operational taxonomic units (OTUs) richness (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and Chao1 index (<i>p</i> < 0.01). The abundance of the phylum <i>Verrucomicrobia</i> was 30 times higher in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy subjects. Accordingly, this disproportion was also noted at other taxonomic levels: in the class <i>Verrucomicrobiae</i>, the family <i>Verrucomicrobiaceae,</i> and the genus <i>Akkermansia</i>. Elevated pathobionts such as <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Bilophila wadsworthia,</i> and <i>Parabacteroides distasonis</i> were found in COVID-19 patients. Considering the gut microbiota’s ability to disturb the immune response, our findings suggest the importance of the enteric microbiota in the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This pilot study shows that the composition of the microbial community may not be fully restored in individuals with SARS-CoV-2 following a 3-month recovery.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/11/2/367COVID-19gut microbiotagut–lung axisdysbiosisrecovered COVID-19 patientmicrobiota |
| spellingShingle | Dorota Mańkowska-Wierzbicka Joanna Zuraszek Adrianna Wierzbicka Marcin Gabryel Dagmara Mahadea Alina Baturo Oliwia Zakerska-Banaszak Ryszard Slomski Marzena Skrzypczak-Zielinska Agnieszka Dobrowolska Alterations in Gut Microbiota Composition in Patients with COVID-19: A Pilot Study of Whole Hypervariable 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing Biomedicines COVID-19 gut microbiota gut–lung axis dysbiosis recovered COVID-19 patient microbiota |
| title | Alterations in Gut Microbiota Composition in Patients with COVID-19: A Pilot Study of Whole Hypervariable 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing |
| title_full | Alterations in Gut Microbiota Composition in Patients with COVID-19: A Pilot Study of Whole Hypervariable 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing |
| title_fullStr | Alterations in Gut Microbiota Composition in Patients with COVID-19: A Pilot Study of Whole Hypervariable 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Alterations in Gut Microbiota Composition in Patients with COVID-19: A Pilot Study of Whole Hypervariable 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing |
| title_short | Alterations in Gut Microbiota Composition in Patients with COVID-19: A Pilot Study of Whole Hypervariable 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing |
| title_sort | alterations in gut microbiota composition in patients with covid 19 a pilot study of whole hypervariable 16s rrna gene sequencing |
| topic | COVID-19 gut microbiota gut–lung axis dysbiosis recovered COVID-19 patient microbiota |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/11/2/367 |
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