Gastrointestinal Manifestat ions in COVID-19 Infection

Coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 originating from Wuhan, China, has caused an outbreak throughout the world and caused death. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 enters the body via the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor, followed by priming by transmembrane serine protease 2 and provides an overview of the respiratory system’s main clinical manifestations, such as shortness of breath, cough, and fever. The gastrointestinal tract also expresses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors so that it manifests in the gastrointestinal tract, namely decreased appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Complaints in the gastrointestinal tract can appear first or together with complaints in the respiratory tract. Patients with gastrointestinal symptoms
have a more severe disease degree than patients without gastrointestinal symptoms, and the majority have a high fever. When infected by Coronavirus disease 2019, there is a prolonged condition of dysbiosis even though the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus has been eliminated, and respiratory symptoms are not available. The expression and distribution of angiotensin-converting enzyme in the oral cavity and the discovery of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus in the feces indicate a potential route of infection from Coronavirus disease 2019 through the fecal orally. Pathological findings in the gastrointestinal tract of Coronavirus disease 2019 patients are still limited and still require further research, especially concerning the association with the patient’s previous history of the disease.
For the treatment of Coronavirus disease 2019, so far, there has been no special therapy given. All treatments are supportive. In patients who experience diarrhea, evaluating their dehydration status, monitoring electrolyte abnormalities, antispasmodic drugs, and probiotics have been performed.