Thursday, December 5, 2024
spot_img

COVID-19, bacteria together may increase severity in patients

Date:

Share post:

spot_img
spot_img

The combined effects of the body’s natural community of bacteria, also called microbiota, working together with Covid-19 in the lungs could explain the severity of the disease in people with obesity and diabetes, say researchers. The review, published in the journal eLife, offers important mechanistic insights into why people with obesity and diabetes seem to be at increased risk of developing severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) after infection with the Covid-19 virus, and more often require hospitalisation and ventilation.
“There is rapidly emerging evidence highlighting obesity and type 2 diabetes as key risk factors linked to severity of Covid-19 infections in all ethnic groups,” said study author Philipp Scherer from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre, Dallas in the US.
In their article, the research team revisit the factors and disease pathways that connect obesity and diabetes to the severity of Covid-19 infection.
The mechanisms can be roughly divided into two groups: those connected with the ACE2 receptor, and those providing an interaction between Covid-19 and pre-existing bacterial conditions.
ACE2 resides on the surface of many cells in the human body and is involved in regulating fluid volumes, blood pressure and the function of blood vessels. It is also used by Covid-19 to enter human cells.
One theory is that increased amounts of ACE2 in people with obesity or diabetes makes it easier for the virus to enter cells and increases the viral load — an important factor in determining disease severity.
Alternatively, increased shedding of ACE2 in people with obesity causes it to move to the lungs, where the virus can use it.
Another factor known to be influential in the progression of lung diseases is our body’s microbiota. We carry more than 100 trillion bacteria in our body — outnumbering the number of our own cells. The team considered how host bacteria might influence Covid-19 severity.
One potential culprit is the lipopolysaccharides (LPS) that bacteria produce, which have been shown to cooperate with other coronaviruses to induce SARS in pigs. It is possible that these LPS molecules join forces with Covid-19 in humans and trigger a chain of events that causes healthy tissue to transform into scarred tissue — as Covid-19 does in the lungs. (IANS)

spot_img
spot_img

Related articles

Tribunal established by Sheikh Hasina bans former PM’s speeches in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Dec 5: Terming it as a "hate speech", a domestic war crimes tribunal in Bangladesh on Thursday...

PM Modi hails jr hockey team’s ‘unmatched skill, unwavering grit’ after Asia Cup triumph

New Delhi, Dec 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday lauded Indian men's junior team for winning the...

Bumrah, Jansen, Rauf nominated for ICC Men’s Player of the Month award

New Delhi, Dec 5: Fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah, Marco Jansen and Haris Rauf have been nominated for ICC...

Putin lauds PM Modi’s ‘Make in India’ policy, says Russia willing to invest

Moscow, Dec 5: President Vladimir Putin praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'India-first' policy and the 'Make in India'...