GUT INSTINCT

THE bacteria in your gut might be linked to more than you think. This week: Covid-19 GUT bacteria are known to play a part in how well our immune system works and could explain how badly Covid-19 affects us, according to research in the journal Gut.

The study of 41 patients found those who had severe Covid-19 had lower levels of the antiinflammatory ‘good’ bacteria F.prausnitzii, and higher levels of ‘bad’ bacteria such as R.gnavus and R.torques linked to inflammation.

While the study was small, another study by the University of Massachusetts Medical School has also found a link between the make-up of our gut bacteria and Covid-19 severity. Daniel M. Davis, a professor of immunology at Manchester University, said: ‘It is possible these changes could contribute to the symptoms of long Covid.’