Promising uses of probiotic bacteria and prebiotics in the course of COVID-19 - a review of recent studies

Abstract

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the coronavirus Sars-CoV-2. The most common symptoms are fever, cough and high temperature, which can lead to complications ranging from the widely documented pneumonia to less obvious ones such as intestinal dysfunction. In recent years, there has been a great deal of research into the impact of the gut microbiota on the course of many diseases, including COVID-19. Microbiota play an important role in maintaining general health and immune function. The connection between the gastrointestinal tract and the respiratory system can be both direct, where the oral microbiome colonises the respiratory tract, and indirect, involving the passage of microbiota from the gut into the bloodstream. Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 virus infection varies and depends on sanitation standards, immunity, as well as the presence of other medical conditions. There are also reports indicating a positive role for the microbiota in reducing the body's susceptibility to viral infection. Microbiota supports the regulation of the immune response, influences receptor expression, limits viral entry into host cells, and exerts an inhibitory effect on the development of inflammation, which is a risk factor for Covid-19 complications, which can manifest as so-called post covid with respiratory, circulatory and nervous system symptoms. The composition of the microbiota and its changes due to diseases and therapies used correlate with susceptibility to viral infections. Studies show that disruption of the tightness of the intestinal barrier affects the course of many diseases, including the respiratory system. Intestinal microbiota disorders leading to dysbiosis have a negative impact on the prognosis of patients with acute respiratory failure due to viral infections. The aim of this paper is to review PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases of recent studies on the effects of probiotics in the treatment and support of COVID-19. The review presented here discusses the potential for probiotics as agents used in the prevention and support of therapy of viral infection. The principles of quality assurance and safety of the probiotic product are also included.

Keywords

• microbiota
• probiotic bacteria
• covid-19
• post-acute covid-19 syndrome