Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Manifestations of Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Book
In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan.
.

Excerpt

On March 11, 2020, The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), as a global pandemic after the first cases of an atypical acute respiratory illness initially reported in China in December 2019 spread to more than 100 countries. Since then, the ongoing pandemic has overwhelmed many healthcare systems worldwide, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality emerging as a major global health crisis since the influenza pandemic of 1918. This viral infection readily spreads from person to person via respiratory droplets, mucosal contact, and through contaminated surfaces. SARS-CoV-2 primarily affects the respiratory system; however, it can affect other major organ systems such as the gastrointestinal tract (GI), liver, cardiovascular, central nervous system, and kidneys. Emerging data have shown that patients with COVID-19 infection presented with higher rates of isolated gastrointestinal symptoms in the absence of respiratory symptoms. Patients with any primary GI-related symptoms or concurrent symptoms were at increased risk of hospitalization. Emerging evidence is notable for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in fecal samples of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients who tested negative by the nasopharyngeal swab. Continued fecal shedding in symptomatic COVID-19 patients days after clinical recovery for an extended period has been reported which is concerning for possible fecal-oral transmission of this virus.COVID-19 is also frequently associated with the elevation of liver biochemistries in patients with or without clinical symptoms. Patients with COVID-19 illness are increasingly being recognized as being at risk of developing prothrombotic complications such as acute mesenteric ischemia and portal vein thrombosis respectively. In this article, we review the latest available data regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the gastrointestinal tract and the liver function in adult patients.

Publication types

  • Study Guide