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Review
. 2023 Aug 5:21:3904-3911.
doi: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.08.002. eCollection 2023.

The microbiome in post-acute infection syndrome (PAIS)

Affiliations
Review

The microbiome in post-acute infection syndrome (PAIS)

Cheng Guo et al. Comput Struct Biotechnol J. .

Abstract

Post-Acute Infection Syndrome (PAIS) is a relatively new medical terminology that represents prolonged sequelae symptoms after acute infection by numerous pathogenic agents. Imposing a substantial public health burden worldwide, PASC (post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 infection) and ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome) are two of the most recognized and prevalent PAIS conditions. The presences of prior infections and similar symptom profiles in PAIS reflect a plausible common etiopathogenesis. The human microbiome is known to play an essential role in health and disease. In this review, we reviewed and summarized available research on oral and gut microbiota alterations in patients with different infections or PAIS conditions. We discussed key theories about the associations between microbiome dysbiosis and PAIS disease development, aiming to explore the mechanistic roles and potential functions the microbiome may have in the process. Additionally, we discuss the areas of knowledge gaps and propose the potential clinical applications of the microbiome for prevention and treatment of PAIS conditions.

Keywords: ME/CFS; Microbiome; PASC; Post-acute infection syndromes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Overview of the microbiome in PAIS.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The major taxa alterations in the gut bacteriome of acute infections, chronic infections and PAIS patients. Comparing to healthy controls, the major altered bacterial taxa identified in COVID-19 , , , H1N1 , H7N9 , CAP (Community-Acquired Pneumonia) , Dengue , RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) , HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) , HBV (Hepatitis-B Virus) , TB (Tuberculosis) , PASC (Post-acute Sequelae of COVID-19) , , , , ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) , , and PTLDS (Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome) patients are listed in the figure. All the studies mentioned primarily focused on the gut bacteriome, except for the Dengue infection study, which was centered on the blood bacteriome

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