Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 Infects Human Intestinal Cells, Finds Study

A study has found that the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, can infect cells of the intestine and multiply there. This could explain why one-third of COVID-19 patients experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, and why the virus is often detected in stool samples.

Researchers from the Hubrecht Institute (Utrecht, the Netherlands), Erasmus MC University Medical Center (Rotterdam, the Netherlands) and Maastricht University (Maastricht, the Netherlands) set out to determine whether the SARS-CoV-2 virus can directly infect the cells of the intestine, and if so, whether it can replicate there as well. Using state-of-the-art cell culture models of the human intestine, the team successfully propagated the virus in vitro, and monitored the response of the cells to the virus, providing a new cell culture model for the study of COVID-19.


They used human intestinal organoids: tiny versions of the human intestine that can be grown in the lab. When the researchers added the virus to the organoids, they were rapidly infected. Using electron microscopy, the researchers found virus particles inside and outside the cells of the organoids. The team also cultured the organoids in different conditions that result in cells with higher and lower levels of the ACE2 receptor, through which SARS-CoV-2 can enter the cells. To their surprise, they found that the virus infected cells with both high and low levels of the ACE2 receptor. Ultimately, these studies could lead to new ways to block the entry of the virus into human cells.

“The observations made in this study provide definite proof that SARS-CoV-2 can multiply in cells of the gastrointestinal tract,” said Bart Haagmans from Erasmus MC. “However, we don’t yet know whether SARS-CoV-2, present in the intestines of COVID-19 patients, plays a significant role in transmission. Our findings indicate that we should look into this possibility more closely.”

Related Links:
Hubrecht Institute
Erasmus MC University Medical Center
Maastricht University