Impact of COVID-19 on the Gastrointestinal Tract: A Clinical Review

Cureus. 2022 Mar 20;14(3):e23333. doi: 10.7759/cureus.23333. eCollection 2022 Mar.

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly throughout the world, causing a pandemic that has resulted in more than 5 million deaths globally. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is known to have high expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors in the human body, making it prone to direct damage from the cellular invasion of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Numerous GI symptoms have been reported among patients with COVID-19. This systemic review details the mechanism and effects of COVID-19 on the GI tract along with the hepatobiliary and pancreatic systems.

Keywords: angiotensin converting enzyme 2; covid-19; gastrointestinal tract; liver; pancreas.

Publication types

  • Review