A recent Italian study into the coronavirus shows that certain gut bacteria can protect children from severe symptoms of Covid-19. Doctors at the Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù in Rome found that a bacterium called Faecalibacterium prausnitzii was present in above-average numbers in infected children who showed only mild symptoms.
From March to September 2020, the researchers took stool samples from 88 children admitted to the “Bambino Gesù” hospital and examined them more closely. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii therefore has an anti-inflammatory effect and protects children from severe Covid symptoms.
Studies had previously shown that adults with a severe course of the disease had few or none of these microorganisms in their gut. Studies in China and South Korea have shown that people with a gut microbiome that is not functioning optimally (the entirety of all microorganisms in the gut, mind you) are at a higher risk of developing Covid-19 more severely. The reason: The lack of good microorganisms makes it easier for the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen to infect cells in the digestive tract.
Preparation with bacteria to protect against severe turnover
According to the Italian study, preparations containing the bacteria could be used for corona therapy in the future. According to the Roman researchers, not only children, but also adults could be protected against serious infections with the pathogen SARS-CoV-2.
Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is one of the major butyric acid producers in the human gut, accounting for at least one billion cells per gram of stool and more than five percent of the total bacterial cell count in healthy humans. The butyric acid formed by the intestinal flora and its derivatives are the main energy source of the intestinal epithelium.
Everyone has an individual composition of microorganisms (microbiome) in the gut, which perform different tasks. For example, the regulation of the immune response to invading pathogenic bacteria and viruses.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
