Virological and histological evaluation of intestinal samples in COVID-19 patients  

作　　者：Dajana Cuicchi Liliana Gabrielli Maria Lucia Tardio Giada Rossini Antonietta D’Errico Pierluigi Viale Tiziana Lazzarotto Gilberto Poggioli 

机构地区：[1]Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences,Surgery of the Alimentary Tract,IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna,Bologna 40138,Italy [2]Department of Experimental,Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine,Microbiology Unit,IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna,Bologna 40138,Italy [3]Department of Experimental,Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine,Pathology Unit,IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna,Bologna 40138,Italy [4]Department for Integrated Infectious Risk Management,Infectious Diseases Unit,IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna,Bologna 40138,Italy [5]Infectious Diseases Unit,Department for Integrated Infectious Risk Management,University of Bologna,Bologna 40138,Italy [6]Section of Microbiology,Department of Experimental,Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine,University of Bologna,Bologna 40138,Italy [7]Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences,University of Bologna,Bologna 40138,Italy

出　　处：《World Journal of Gastroenterology》2022年第44期6282-6293,共12页世界胃肠病学杂志（英文版）

基　　金：approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna,Italy(Approval No.2257/2020).

摘　　要：BACKGROUND Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2(SARS-CoV-2)is the pathogen responsible for pandemic coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).It is a highly contagious virus which primarily affects the respiratory tract,nevertheless,the lungs are not the only target organs of the virus.The intestinal tract could represent an additional tropism site for SARS-CoV-2.Several observations have collectively suggested that enteric infections can occur in COVID-19 patients.However,the detection of viral RNA in gastrointestinal(GI)tissue samples has not been adequately investigated and results are conflicting.AIM To detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in intestinal mucosa samples and to evaluate histological features.METHODS The COVID-19 patients hospitalized at an Italian tertiary hospital from April 2020 to March 2021 were evaluated for enrollment in an observational,monocentric trial.The study population was composed of two groups of adult patients.In the first group(biopsy group,30 patients),patients were eligible for inclusion if they had mild to moderate disease and if they agreed to have a rectal biopsy;in the second group(surgical specimen group,6 patients),patients were eligible for inclusion if they underwent intestinal resection during index hospitalization.Fifty-nine intestinal mucosal samples were analyzed.RESULTS Viral RNA was not detectable in any of the rectal biopsies performed(0/53).Histological examination showed no enterocyte damage,but slight edema of the lamina propria with mild inflammatory lymphoplasmacytic infiltration.There was no difference in inflammatory infiltrates in patients with and without GI symptoms.SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in fecal samples in 6 cases out of 14 cases examined(42.9%).In the surgical specimen group,all patients underwent emergency intestinal resection.Viral RNA was detected in 2 surgical specimens of the 6 examined,both of which were from patients with active neoplastic disease.Histological examination also pointed out abundant macrophages,granulocytes and plasma

关 键 词：COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 Intestinal infection Intestinal samples Intestinal tropism Rectal samples 

分 类 号：R563.1[医药卫生—呼吸系统]