Scientists Have Proven That Coronavirus Can Infect Human Intestinal Cells

Scientists have proven that coronavirus can infect human intestinal cells

Scientists conducted experiments on intestines, which were grown in a laboratory, and also isolated coronavirus from the patient's feces.

Photo: Fusion Medical / Ian Brown

Apparently, the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is capable of infecting not only the respiratory system, but the human intestine. Scientists have found it in intestinal cells and in feces. The study is published in Nature Medicine.

Researchers have grown an organoid of the human intestine - a smaller and somewhat simplified "laboratory version" of it. Such models have already been used before to study this organ. In a new study, the authors were able to demonstrate on this organoid that the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is capable of infecting the epithelium of the human intestine. The virus, which was in the intestinal cells, was viable, scientists were convinced that it was able to multiply.

In parallel, scientists isolated the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus from the feces of a patient with COVID-19, which also speaks in favor of the fact that intestinal infection is possible.

For the experiments, scientists for the first time also grew a bat intestinal organoid. They point out that the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is in many ways similar to the coronaviruses that infect bats. Therefore, such organelles in the future will help to better study coronaviruses. In a new study, bat intestinal epithelial cells have also been infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Scientists have previously suggested that COVID-19 can be transmitted by the fecal-oral route.