Gut microbiota from patients with COVID-19 cause alterations in mice that resemble post-COVID symptoms
Viviani Mendes de Almeida, Daiane F. Engel, Mayra Fernanda Ricci, Clênio Silva Cruz, Ícaro Santos Lopes, Daniele Almeida Alves, Mirna d’ Auriol, João Magalhães, Elayne Cristina Machado, Victor Rocha, Toniana G. Carvalho, Larisse S. B. Lacerda, Jordane Clarisse Pimenta, Mariana Aganetti, Giuliana S. Zuccoli, Bradley J. Smith, Victor Corasolla Carregari, Erika da Silva Rosa, Izabela Galvão, Geovanni Dantas Cassali, Cristiana Couto Garcia, Mauro Martins Teixeira, Leiliane Coelho André, Fabíola M. Ribeiro, Flaviano S. Martins, Rafael Simone Saia, Vivian Vasconcelos Costa, Daniel Martins‐de‐Souza, Philip M. Hansbro, João T. Marques, Eric Roberto Guimarães Rocha Aguiar, Angélica T. Vieira
Abstract
Long-term sequelae of coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 are frequent and of major concern. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection affects the host gut microbiota, which is linked to disease severity in patients with COVID-19. Here, we report that the gut microbiota of post-COVID subjects had a remarkable predominance of Enterobacteriaceae strains with an antibiotic-resistant phenotype compared to healthy controls. Additionally, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels were reduced in feces. Fecal transplantation from post-COVID subjects to germ-free mice led to lung inflammation and worse outcomes during pulmonary infection by multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. transplanted mice also exhibited poor cognitive performance. Overall, we show prolonged impacts of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the gut microbiota that persist after subjects have cleared the virus. Together, these data demonstrate that the gut microbiota can directly contribute to post-COVID sequelae, suggesting that it may be a potential therapeutic target.