Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jun 22, 2025 4 hours, 28 minutes ago
Medical News: New Discovery Reveals the Virus’s Silent Assault on the Stomach
Scientists from Istanbul University in Turkey have uncovered compelling evidence that SARS-CoV-2—the virus responsible for COVID-19—does more than attack the lungs and airways. In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers have now shown that the virus also causes structural and cellular damage to the stomach, particularly targeting parietal cells, which are essential for digestion.
Yet Another Study Validates That SARS-CoV-2 Triggers Hidden Stomach Damage
The stomach, long thought to be shielded from the worst effects of COVID-19, may actually be more vulnerable than previously believed. This
Medical News report highlights how the virus exploits ACE2 receptors found in the gastric lining, allowing it to directly invade stomach tissues and trigger a cascade of harmful effects.
Thailand
Medical News had only a day ago published a study warning that SARS-CoV-2 is causing serious gastric issues especially if H Pylori bacteria are present.
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-and-h-pylori-co-infection-triggers-over-1100-gene-disruptions-and-severe-stomach-damage
Mice Model Sheds Light on Virus Impact in the Gut
In this groundbreaking experiment, 20 genetically modified K18-hACE2 mice were divided into two groups: one infected with SARS-CoV-2 and one control group. On the eighth day after infection—representing the acute phase—gastric tissues were extracted and examined.
What researchers found was striking. The infected group showed widespread damage including the loss of stomach lining (epithelial desquamation), tissue bleeding, cell degeneration, and muscle injuries. These changes were confirmed using advanced imaging techniques like transmission electron microscopy.
Cell death pathways such as apoptosis (programmed cell death) and pyroptosis (a highly inflammatory type of cell death) were found to be elevated, while protective proteins like Galectin-3, which normally shield stomach cells, were significantly decreased. The infected stomachs also had lower mucin levels, which means less protection from gastric acid and harmful microbes.
Parietal Cells Most Severely Affected
Parietal cells—the cells that produce stomach acid—showed the worst structural damage and the strongest signs of virus presence. These cells are crucial for digestion and absorption of nutrients. Their damage could explain why many COVID-19 patients complain of symptoms like nausea, bloating, indigestion, and ongoing gastric discomfort.
Tiny virus-like particles ranging between 70 to 110 nanometers were actually seen inside the stomach cells, confirming that the virus replicates and disrupts interna
l structures within the gastric tissue itself. Enteroendocrine cells, which control digestion-related hormones, were also hyperactive—likely a response to viral invasion.
Implications for Post-COVID Gastric Health
The researchers believe that this stomach damage may also make people more prone to infections like Helicobacter pylori—a bacteria that is known to cause ulcers and even stomach cancer. This could mean that for many individuals recovering from COVID-19, unexplained gastric issues may be a direct result of viral injury to the stomach lining.
These findings suggest that even after respiratory symptoms subside, the stomach might continue to suffer in silence, contributing to persistent post-COVID conditions.
Conclusion
This new study provides critical insights into how SARS-CoV-2 can severely damage the stomach at a microscopic level. The virus targets key cells and triggers inflammatory destruction while suppressing protective proteins. This silent internal damage could be behind the chronic stomach problems seen in many COVID-19 patients, and it also raises concerns about the long-term risks of secondary infections. More research is urgently needed to explore if similar damage occurs in humans and how long-lasting these effects might be.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed Journal of Molecular Histology.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10735-025-10477-5
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Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/new-study-explores-the-genetic-connection-between-covid-19-and-gastric-cancer
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-is-also-able-to-cause-gastric-reflux
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-news-emerging-studies-shows-sars-cov-2-attacks-the-digestive-tract-especially-the-intestines-directly,-reported-case-of-bowel-perforation
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