Nasopharyngeal Microbiota in SARS-CoV-2 Positive and Negative Patients

We investigated nasopharyngeal microbial community structure in COVID-19-positive and -negative patients. High-throughput 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing revealed significant microbial community structure differences between COVID-19-positive and -negative patients. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that: (1) nasopharyngeal microbiome communities can be assessed using collection samples already collected for SARS-CoV-2 testing (viral transport media) and (2) SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with altered dysbiotic microbial profiles which could be a biomarker for disease progression and prognosis in SARS-CoV-2.

Automated summary

The study revealed significant differences in nasopharyngeal microbial community structure between COVID-19-positive and -negative patients, providing preliminary evidence for the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and microbial communities.