SynthesisPloS one2021
The human microbiome and COVID-19: A systematic review.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 85 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
85 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 148 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparison of Respiratory Microbiomes in Influenza Versus Other Respiratory Infections: Systematic Review and Analysis.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Pooled it
- COVID-19 alters human microbiomes: a meta-analysis.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2023Pooled it
- Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Roles of Gut Microbiota in COVID-19: A Comprehensive Systematic Review.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2022Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Gut microbial allies and adversaries in SARS-CoV-2 infection.Current research in microbial sciences · 2026Article
- Gut Microbiota-Derived Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles in COVID-19: Their Signature and Immunological Impact.Journal of extracellular vesicles · 2026Article
- Gut microbiota impact on lung diseases: a mini review of clinical evidence.Infection and immunity · 2026Review
- SARS-CoV-2 Infection disrupts lower respiratory tract microbiome function and interactions.BMC microbiology · 2026Article
- Bacterial colonization of the respiratory tract in COVID-19 patients: potential source of bacterial infection.BMC infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Assessment of the bacterial community of the human upper respiratory tract in patients affected by Covid-19.Genetics and molecular biology · 2026Article
- Review
- Changes in the Gut Microbiota of Patients After SARS-CoV-2 Infection: What Do We Know?Microorganisms · 2025Review
- Neuropsychiatric- and cognitive post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection - evidence from K18-hACE C57BL/6 J mice.The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology · 2025Article
- Modeling "Two-Hit" Severe Pneumonia in Mice: Pathological Characteristics and Mechanistic Studies.Inflammation · 2025Article
- Impact of SARS-CoV-2 P.1 Variant Infection on the Nasopharyngeal Commensal Bacterial Microbiome of Individuals from the Brazilian Amazon.Microorganisms · 2025Article
- Comparative metagenomic analysis of the oral microbiome in COVID-19 patients and healthy individuals.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- The relationship between gut and nasopharyngeal microbiome composition can predict the severity of COVID-19.eLife · 2025Observational
- Lung infection in orally inoculated SARS-CoV-2 hamsters.PloS one · 2025Article
- Article
- Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Microbial Profiles and Clinical Outcomes in Orbital and Preseptal Cellulitis.Microorganisms · 2024Article
25 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundHuman microbiotas are communities of microorganisms living in symbiosis with humans. They play an important role in the host immune response to respiratory viral infection. However, evidence on the human microbiome and coronavirus disease (COVID-19) relationship is insufficient. The aim of this systematic literature review was to evaluate existing evidence on the association between the microbiome and COVID-19 in humans and summarize these data in the pandemic era.
methodsWe conducted a systematic literature review on the association between the microbiome and COVID-19 in humans by searching PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases for articles in English published up to October 31, 2020. The results were analyzed qualitatively. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020195982).
resultsOf the 543 articles identified by searching databases, 16 in line with the research objectives were eligible for qualitative review: eight sampled the microbiome using stool, four using nasopharyngeal or throat swab, three using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and one using lung tissue. Fecal microbiome dysbiosis and increased opportunistic pathogens were reported in COVID-19 patients. Several studies suggested the dysbiosis in the lung microbiome of COVID-19 patients with an abundance of opportunistic pathogens using lower respiratory tract samples. The association between COVID-19 severity and the human microbiome remains uncertain.
conclusionThe human fecal and respiratory tract microbiome changed in COVID-19 patients with opportunistic pathogen abundance. Further research to elucidate the effect of alternation of the human microbiome in disease pathogenesis is warranted.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.