Interplay between viral infections and gut microbiota dysbiosis: Mechanisms and therapeutic potential

Figure 1 In homeostasis, the gut microbiota is balanced, dominated by beneficial bacteria such as Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and butyrate producers like Faecalibacterium. Viral infection can promote dysbiosis, characterized by expansion of opportunistic bacteria (e.g., Enterococcus, Clostridium, Proteobacteria), disruption of the intestinal epithelium, and release of inflammatory mediators (e.g., interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α). These changes increase gut permeability and susceptibility to systemic inflammation, sepsis, and impaired immune regulation. Created in BioRender (Supplementary material). IL: Interleukin; TNF: Tumor necrosis factor.