Possibility of SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission through the digestive tract

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has evolved into a global pandemic and brought great crises and disasters to mankind The disease is transmitted mainly through respiratory droplets and close contact, but whether it can be transmitted through the digestive tract and by faeces has been a problem of great concern to the medical community and the general public This review discusses and analyzes the problem in terms of clinical manifestations and digestive system symptoms of COVID-19, detection and isolation of virus, expression and distribution of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor, etc There is a potential risk of infection and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through the digestive tract It is suggested to carry out further confirmatory research and strengthen effective means of prevention and control © The Author(s) 2020 Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc All rights reserved