NEW research reveals that the gut microbiome during acute COVID-19 infection can predict the likelihood of developing Long COVID. In a study involving 799 outpatients, including 380 COVID-positive individuals, those who later experienced Long COVID showed distinct gut microbiome patterns compared to those who fully recovered or tested negative.
Using machine learning, researchers demonstrated that microbiome composition alone was highly effective in predicting Long COVID risk, surpassing clinical factors such as age or symptom severity. Adding clinical data offered only a slight improvement in accuracy, suggesting the microbiome’s critical role in reflecting immune responses and overall health during infection.
The study also identified four unique Long COVID symptom clusters, with gastrointestinal and fatigue-dominated groups most strongly associated with microbiome variations. Despite these findings, changes in microbiome composition between the infectious and post-infectious phases were consistent across all groups, emphasising the importance of microbiome profiles during the acute phase of COVID-19.
This research highlights the potential for gut microbiome analysis to guide early interventions and improve outcomes for individuals at risk of Long COVID.
Aleksandra Zurowska, EMJ
Reference
Comba IY et al. Gut Microbiome Signatures During Acute Infection Predict Long COVID. 2024;DOI: 10.1101/2024.12.10.626852.
