Hepatic and gastrointestinal involvement in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): What do we know till now?

Abstract

Since December 2019, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative pathogen of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has posed a serious threat to global health and is currently causing a major pandemic. While patients typically present with fever and a respiratory illness, mounting evidence indicates that patients might also report extra-pulmonary manifestations, including those affecting the liver and gastrointestinal tract. This involvement may have important implications to the disease management, transmission, and prognosis, especially in patients with pre-existing hepatic or digestive co-morbidities. In this review, the characteristics and possible explanations of hepatic and gastrointestinal involvement caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection are summarized, adding to our knowledge of the spectrum of COVID-19. In addition, preventive measures implemented in endoscopy departments to prevent further dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 infection are proposed.

Keywords: COVID-19; Endoscopy; Gastrointestinal tract; Liver; SARS-Cov-2.

Fig. 1

Suggested workflow in GI endoscopy units during SARS-CoV-2 outbreak.