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01-12-2021 | COVID-19 | Case report

Gastrointestinal disturbance and effect of fecal microbiota transplantation in discharged COVID-19 patients

Authors: Fengqiong Liu, Shanliang Ye, Xin Zhu, Xuesong He, Shengzhou Wang, Yinbao Li, Jiang Lin, Jingsu Wang, Yonggan Lin, Xin Ren, Yong Li, Zhaoqun Deng

Published in: Journal of Medical Case Reports | Issue 1/2021

Abstract

Background

To investigate the potential beneficial effect of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on gastrointestinal symptoms, gut dysbiosis and immune status in discharged COVID-19 patients.

Case presentation

A total of 11 COVID-19 patients were recruited in April, 2020, about one month on average after they were discharged from the hospital. All subjects received FMT for 4 consecutive days by oral capsule administrations with 10 capsules for each day. In total, 5 out of 11 patients reported to be suffered from gastrointestinal symptoms, which were improved after FMT. After FMT, alterations of B cells were observed, which was characterized as decreased naive B cell (P = 0.012) and increased memory B cells (P = 0.001) and non-switched B cells (P = 0.012).The microbial community richness indicated by operational taxonomic units number, observed species and Chao1 estimator was marginally increased after FMT. Gut microbiome composition of discharged COVID-19 patients differed from that of the general population at both phylum and genera level, which was characterized with a lower proportion of Firmicutes (41.0%) and Actinobacteria (4.0%), higher proportion of Bacteroidetes (42.9%) and Proteobacteria (9.2%). FMT can partially restore the gut dysbiosis by increasing the relative abundance of Actinobacteria (15.0%) and reducing Proteobacteria (2.8%) at the phylum level. At the genera level, Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium had significantly increased after FMT.

Conclusions

After FMT, altered peripheral lymphocyte subset, restored gut microbiota and alleviated gastrointestinal disorders were observe, suggesting that FMT may serve as a potential therapeutic and rehabilitative intervention for the COVID-19.

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Title: Gastrointestinal disturbance and effect of fecal microbiota transplantation in discharged COVID-19 patients
Authors: Fengqiong Liu
Shanliang Ye
Xin Zhu
Xuesong He
Shengzhou Wang
Yinbao Li
Jiang Lin
Jingsu Wang
Yonggan Lin
Xin Ren
Yong Li
Zhaoqun Deng
Publication date: 01-12-2021
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: COVID-19
Respiratory Microbiota
Published in: Journal of Medical Case Reports / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1752-1947
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-020-02583-7

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Gastrointestinal disturbance and effect of fecal microbiota transplantation in discharged COVID-19 patients

Abstract

Background

Case presentation

Conclusions

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Case presentation

Conclusions

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