State of intestinal biocenosis and features of the coprogram in children with inflammatory bowel diseases who have suffered COVID-19

The purpose of the study: to assess the state of intestinal biocenosis and the features of digestive processes according to the data of a coprological study in children with inflammatory bowel diseases who suffered from COVID-19. Research materials and methods: 82 cases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children were analyzed: 46 children with IBD who had COVID-19 and 36 children with IBD who had not had COVID-19. The microbiota was studied using the Colonoflor -16 kit, and the species diversity in individual samples (alpha and beta diversity) was calculated using Shannon formulas. Results: in the post-COVID period, we noted a high frequency of symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and asthenovegetative symptoms. According to a coprological study, ileocecal (an abundance of indigestible fiber, iodophilic flora, and starch grains) and colitic (mucus, leukocytes, and erythrocytes) syndromes were found with the greatest frequency in the post-ovarian period. According to the results, children with IBD who had COVID-19 were twice as likely to have a decrease in total bacterial mass (MB) (39.1% vs. 19.4%, p<0.05), and normal MB were less common in the same group. It was found that the decrease in BM was due to a deficiency of Bifidobact.spp, non-pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus spp. Also, in children in the post-pregnancy period, an increased number of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter spp., enteropathogenic Escherichia coli are more often detected. In 80% of cases, the alpha diversity is lower in the group of children who suffered from COVID-19. When comparing the groups, a significant difference was obtained, the average value of the Shannon index in children who did not have COVID-19 was 2.50+0.11, in the group of children who had an infection, the value was 1.96+0.23, p<0.05. Conclusion: Thus, after suffering the new COVID-19, children with IBD experience marked changes in intestinal digestion and biocenosis. The data obtained indicate the need for an additional rehabilitation program for children with IBD who have suffered COVID-19.

COVID-19, inflammatory bowel diseases, children, microflora, Colonoflor-16

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