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Abstract

The ongoing novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is principally defined by its respiratory symptoms. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can affect the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and although the pathogenesis of COVID-19 is understood, the exact pathological alterations following infection require further investigation. Here, we report our histopathological findings from a right hemicolectomy specimen from a patient coinfected with COVID-19 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Our observations showed that the novel SARS-CoV-2 can affect the GIT, causing epithelial injury and pathological alterations attributed to its ability to infect absorptive enterocytes by interacting with the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-2 (ACE2) receptor. These pathological findings are regarded as viral cytopathic changes and should be considered when evaluating gastrointestinal specimens from COVID-19 infected patients.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; Angiotensin converting enzyme-2; Gastro intestinal tract