Bacteriophage-like behavior of SARS-CoV-2
New study suggests that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, exhibits bacteriophage-like behavior, meaning it may not only interact with and provide a reservoir for viral persistence and replication, but also potentially replicate within bacteria in the gut microbiome during both acute and post-COVID phases. This novel mechanism opens new avenues for understanding the complex dynamics between viruses and the human microbiota. Early use of certain antibiotic combinations like amoxicillin/clavulanic acid plus rifaximin or azithromycin plus rifaximin is proposed to target and inhibit viral replication within the gut bacterial populations. The study found that early initiation of these antibiotic therapies (within the first 3 days) resulted in significantly shorter recovery times and higher blood oxygen saturation levels in COVID-19 patients, both vaccinated and unvaccinated. Patients who received early antibiotics were less likely to develop long COVID symptoms according to the st