The effect of probiotics in improving viral infections: focusing on COVID-۱۹

Background and Aim : Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are one of the most common infectious diseases of viral or bacterial origin. Coronavirus disease ۲۰۱۹ (COVID-۱۹) is an emerging epidemic. The lack of effective classical treatment for COVID-۱۹ has led to a focus on other strategies for achieving prevention and treatment of infection. One of these cases is the use of beneficial microbes. Due to the beneficial effect of intestinal microbiome in creating immune responses in distant mucosal areas; Including the lungs, the use of probiotics in the prevention and treatment of infections has been considered, and in this article, their effect on respiratory infections has been considered. Methods : The search in reputable scientific sites and journals with suitable key words. Results : Evidence supports the role of probiotics in regulating the immune system, both intrinsic and acquired. Probiotics have shown a positive response in the clinical treatment of several diseases; Reduce the severity of infection in the upper respiratory tract. Reduction of viral load in vivo has been well established using Lactobacillus. Studies have shown the antiviral activity of probiotic species against common respiratory viruses such as rhinovirus, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus. The effects of probiotics on several species of coronavirus have been reported in various studies. Probiotics can be an effective strategy for treating patients with COVID-۱۹ to reduce secondary infection and modulate immunity. They can also prevent COVID-۱۹ by preserving the human gastrointestinal tract or lung microbiota because dysbiosis plays an important role in susceptibility to infectious diseases. Probiotics can also reduce the spread of Coronavirus through the gut. Some probiotic components can bind to virus-receptor proteins: spike proteins and ACE۲ and prevent the virus from entering the host body; however, these probiotic species have not yet been administered to the respiratory tract.Conclusion : Despite reports of the effects of probiotics on several coronavirus species, these mechanisms have not yet been seriously investigated for the new SARS-CoV-۲. Further studies are needed to evaluate the ability of probiotics to fight COVID-۱۹.

Keywords:

Probiotics , Microbiota , , COVID-۱۹ , Respiratory