Most-Read Study Reveals Importance of the Microbiome for Covid-19 Susceptibility

Altered microbiome in the gut may reduce immunity and increase Covid-19 symptoms

VENTURA, Calif., Sept. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ProgenaBiome, a Ventura-based genetic sequencing research lab, published a study in April, 2022, which has since then been listed as one of the Most Read Articles on BMJ Open Gastro. It offers an explanation for why Covid-19 patients experience varying levels of severity in symptoms, from asymptomatic to severe – as well as why some are not infected at all upon exposure. Researchers discovered an inverse association between disease severity and both bacterial diversity and Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium abundance.

"This study, sponsored by the Microbiome Research Foundation, further supports the hypothesis I have always believed: the microbiome is a critical piece of the puzzle for many health conditions," said Dr. Sabine Hazan, co-author of the study. "It holds the key to why some people get sick, why some people don't catch Covid even when exposed, and why some are asymptomatic."

In this study, researchers examined 50 patients and performed shotgun next-generation sequencing (NGS) on stool samples to evaluate gut microbiome composition and diversity in both patients with SARS-CoV-2 PCR-confirmed infections and SARS-CoV-2 PCR-negative exposed controls. The PCR-confirmed patients were classified as asymptomatic or having mild, moderate, or severe symptoms based on NIH criteria. The PCR-negative exposed controls were individuals with prolonged or repeated close contact with patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection or their samples (e.g. household members of patients or frontline healthcare workers).

Compared with controls, researchers found that Covid-positive patients had significantly less bacterial diversity, a lower abundance of Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium as well as other bacteria, and a higher abundance of Bacteroides at the genus level. Additionally, there was an inverse association between disease severity and both bacterial diversity and Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium abundance.

Based on these findings, they hypothesize that low bacterial diversity and depletion of Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium genera either before or after infection led to reduced pro-immune function, thereby allowing the SARS-CoV-2 infection to become symptomatic. This particular dysbiosis pattern may be a susceptibility marker for severe symptoms from SARS-CoV-2 infection and may be amenable to pre-, intra-, or post-infection intervention. It may also lead to improving clinical trials on therapeutics.

"This study demonstrates the importance of a strong microbiome," Dr. Hazan added. "It should be included when doing placebo-controlled trials. In other words, this study shows how we're all different in our microbiomes."

This clinical study results can be found at https://bmjopengastro.bmj.com/content/bmjgast/9/1/e000871.full.pdf.

The microbiome has also been found to play a significant role in other health conditions, such as Alzheimer's. The work of Dr. Hazan marks the first report of a case of rapid reversal of symptoms in a patient following FMT for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection.

Dr. Hazan with ProgenaBiome recently presented at the Frontiers in Neurology and Brain Health event in Boston, Massachusetts.

Upcoming, ProgenaBiome will be presenting at the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) 23rd Annual Scientific Conference in Orlando, Florida on September 22-25, 2022. Next, ProgenaBiome will be presenting five abstracts composed of the latest research on the importance of the microbiome when dealing with a variety of health conditions at the upcoming American College of Gastroenterology's Annual Scientific Meeting & Postgraduate Course, held at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina on October 21-26, 2022. 

Strategically placed as a genetic sequencing lab site, contract research organization (CRO), and now sponsor, ProgenaBiome has 44+ ongoing clinical trials investigating the role of the gut flora in immunity and disease. To support its mission, please support the Microbiome Research Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, dedicated to helping patients with diseases of the gut flora (microbiome).

About ProgenaBiome
ProgenaBiome is a genetic sequencing research laboratory led by Dr. Sabine Hazan, dedicated to continuing the work of the late Dr. Sydney Finegold, a man who recognized the power of anaerobic bacteria and spent his life correlating microbes to diseases. The mission of ProgenaBiome is to crack the genetic code of a trillion bacteria, fungi and viruses that live in our gut. ProgenaBiome works to find cures to diseases that could be caused by an alteration of the gut flora, following the vision and pioneer work on fecal microbiota transplant of Dr. Thomas Borody but working more on a refloralization process. For more information: https://progenabiome.com

About the Microbiome Research Foundation
The Microbiome Research Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, dedicated to helping patients with diseases of the gut flora. Led by a team of renown physicians, the foundation's mission is to revolutionize healthcare by decoding the trillions of microbes in the human microbiome and finding healing solutions to many diseases caused by unbalance in the gut.

For more, visit:
https://progenabiome.com 
https://clinicaltrials.gov 
https://microbiomeresearchfoundation.com/ 
https://letstalkshit.org/ 

Media Contact:
Victoria Shockley
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SOURCE ProgenaBiome