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Review
. 2020 Apr;21(4):199-204.
doi: 10.1111/1751-2980.12862.

Digestive system involvement of novel coronavirus infection: Prevention and control infection from a gastroenterology perspective

Lian Yong Li  1   2   3 , Wei Wu  2 , Sheng Chen  1 , Jian Wen Gu  3 , Xin Lou Li  3 , Hai Jing Song  3 , Feng Du  2 , Gang Wang  2 , Chang Qing Zhong  1 , Xiao Ying Wang  1 , Yan Chen  1 , Rushikesh Shah  4 , He Ming Yang  3 , Qiang Cai  4
Affiliations
Review

Digestive system involvement of novel coronavirus infection: Prevention and control infection from a gastroenterology perspective

Lian Yong Li et al. J Dig Dis. 2020 Apr.

Abstract

An epidemic of an acute respiratory syndrome caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan, China, now known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), beginning in December 2019, has attracted an intense amount of attention worldwide. As the natural history and variety of clinical presentations of this disease unfolds, extrapulmonary symptoms of COVID-19 have emerged, especially in the digestive system. While the respiratory mode of transmission is well known and is probably the principal mode of transmission of this disease, a possibility of the fecal-oral route of transmission has also emerged in various case series and clinical scenarios. In this review article, we summarize four different aspects in published studies to date: (a) gastrointestinal manifestations of COVID-19; (b) microbiological and virological investigations; (c) the role of fecal-oral transmission; and (d) prevention and control of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the digestive endoscopy room. A timely understanding of the relationship between the disease and the digestive system and implementing effective preventive measures are of great importance for a favorable outcome of the disease and can help climnicians to mitigate further transmission by taking appropriate measures.

Keywords: COVID-19; digestive system; prevention and control; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors have no conflicts of interest or financial ties to disclose.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is positively associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection of the digestive tract. Abbreviation: TMPRSS, transmembrane serine protease
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Flowchart of evaluations for emergency endoscopy in an epidemic region for coronavirus disease 19 (COVID‐19) outbreak. Abbreviation: CT, computed tomography
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Personal protective measures and equipment for medical staff in the digestive endoscopy center in: A, a non‐epidemic region; B, an epidemic region; C, wards with confirmed patients
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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