Corona: SARS-CoV-2 infections can damage the intestine

Spread the love

Read Time:1 Minute, 8 Second

The issue of Corona is not going away. Infections with SARS-CoV-2 mainly attack the lungs but can also damage other organs, such as the intestines: About 60 percent of patients have effects on the digestive tract. New findings from researchers at MedUni Vienna could form the basis for more advanced treatment strategies. They have been published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

Corona: SARS-CoV-2 infections can damage the intestine
The scientific team led by Diana Mechtcheriakova of the Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research focused on investigating peculiarities and commonalities in the effects of covid-19 on lungs and other organs. It turned out that pulmonary and gastrointestinal have different molecular mechanisms. Whereas in corona infections of the lung, classical reactions of the immune system occur, in the gastrointestinal tract, consequences related to liver and lipid metabolism become apparent.

Gastrointestinal tract: symptoms in part of covid patients
According to the study, up to 60 percent of covid sufferers experience gastrointestinal symptoms, which may be associated with longer disease duration and worse outcomes. “Our findings can drive the identification of new biomarkers and treatment strategies of covid-19 that take into account the specific responses in manifestations outside the lung,” announced Diana Mechtcheriakova, head of the Molecular Systems Biology and Pathophysiology Research Group at MedUni Vienna, follow-up studies.