Could antifungals be the answer to severe COVID inflammation ?
A recently published study shows that antifungal treatment could provide some relief to people who are critically ill with COVID-19.
In a groundbreaking study published in Nature Immunology, scientists reveal an unexpected connection between an overabundance of gut fungi and the severity of COVID-19. This revelation offers a glimpse of hope and potentially challenges the way we view the treatment of severe cases of COVID-19.
Previous studies have shown how COVID-19 alters the natural gut microbiota to disrupt protective barriers allowing the pathogens to enter the blood stream. Also, in severe cases, many COVID patients have contracted fungal infections in their lungs. However, the recent study uncovers a pivotal link between the virus, the gut's fungal population(mycobiota), and the immune system's response, opening new horizons in COVID treatment.
What makes this discovery even more intriguing is the lingering impact of these fungal imbalances in the gut. Patients with severe COVID-19 continued to exhibit elevated levels of antibodies against Candida albicans even after their recovery, along with neutrophils ready to combat fungal threats. In some cases, these effects persisted for up to a year after the initial infection, hinting at the connection between the gut's mycobiota and the prolonged inflammation associated with post-COVID symptoms. The study identified elevated levels of Candida albicans immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in severe COVID-19 patients with intestinal Candida overgrowth, mycobiota dysbiosis, and systemic neutrophilia.
When mice were exposed to Candida albicans found in these patients and then infected with the virus causing COVID-19, they had more lung inflammation and immune reactions. Interestingly, when these mice were treated with antifungal drugs, some of these problems were alleviated. This suggests that targeting these gut fungi might be a way to help people with severe COVID-19, especially those with persistent symptoms.
In the next phase of this research, scientists will dive deeper into understanding how these findings really work. This study might be a game changer and lead to the exciting possibility of using existing antifungal medications to help people with severe COVID-19.
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