"Gut Microbiota's Impact on Respiratory Viral Infection Severity"
A study from the Center for Translational Antiviral Research at Georgia State University reveals that the composition of gut microbiota influences the severity of respiratory viral infections in mice. Specifically, segmented filamentous bacteria in the intestines protected mice against influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and SARS-CoV-2 infections by reprogramming immune cells in the lungs called basally resident alveolar macrophages. The presence of this bacterial species altered the macrophages to resist infection and inflammatory signaling, highlighting the complex interactions between the intestinal microbiota and the severity of respiratory virus infections.