The characteristics of microbiome in the upper respiratory tract of COVID-19 patients

Abstract

Background Co-infection with other pathogens in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients exacerbates disease severity and impacts patient prognosis. Clarifying the exact pathogens co-infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is premise of the precise treatment for COVID-19 patients. Methods Sputum samples were collected from 17 patients in the COVID-19 positive group and 18 patients in the COVID-19 negative group. DNA extraction was performed to obtain the total DNA. Sequencing analysis using 16S and ITS rRNA gene was carried out to analyze the composition of bacterial and fungal communities. Meanwhile, all the samples were inoculated for culture. Results We did not observe significant differences in bacterial composition between the COVID-19 positive and negative groups. However, a significantly higher abundance of Candida albicans was observed in the upper respiratory tract samples from the COVID-19 positive group compared to the COVID-19 negative group. Moreover, the Candida albicans strains isolated from COVID-19 positive group exhibited impaired secretion of aspartyl proteinases. Conclusion COVID-19 positive patients demonstrate a notable increase in the abundance of Candida albicans, along with a decrease in the levels of aspartyl proteinases, indicating the alteration of microbiota composition of upper respiratory tract.