Gavkare AM, Nanaware NL, Sonar MN, Dhotre SV, Mumbre SS, Nagoba BS. Gut microbiome and viral infections: A hidden nexus for immune protection. World J Virol 2025; 14(3): 111912 [DOI: 10.5501/wjv.v14.i3.111912]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Basavraj S Nagoba, PhD, Professor, Department of Microbiology, Maharashtra Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (Medical College), Vishwanathpuram, Ambajogai Road, Latur 413531, Maharashtra, India. dr_bsnagoba@yahoo.com
Research Domain of This Article
Virology
Article-Type of This Article
Minireviews
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Virol. Sep 25, 2025; 14(3): 111912 Published online Sep 25, 2025. doi: 10.5501/wjv.v14.i3.111912
Gut microbiome and viral infections: A hidden nexus for immune protection
Ajay M Gavkare, Neeta L Nanaware, Mahesh N Sonar, Shree V Dhotre, Sachin S Mumbre, Basavraj S Nagoba
Ajay M Gavkare, Department of Physiology, Government Medical College, Buldhana 443001, Maharashtra, India
Neeta L Nanaware, Department of Physiology, Vilasrao Deshmukh Government Medical College, Latur 413512, Maharashtra, India
Mahesh N Sonar, Department of Pediatrics, Maharashtra Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (Medical College), Latur 413531, Maharashtra, India
Shree V Dhotre, Department of Microbiology, Ashwini Rural Medical College, Solapur 413001, Maharashtra, India
Sachin S Mumbre, Department of Community Medicine, Ashwini Rural Medical College, Solapur 413006, India
Basavraj S Nagoba, Department of Microbiology, Maharashtra Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (Medical College), Latur 413531, Maharashtra, India
Author contributions: Nagoba BS designed the overall concept and outline of the manuscript; Gavkare AM, and Nanaware NL, Dhotre SV, Sonar MN, Mumbare SS contributed to the discussion and design of the manuscript; Nagoba BS, Gavkare AM contributed to the writing, and editing the manuscript and review of literature; all authors contributed to the finalizing the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Basavraj S Nagoba, PhD, Professor, Department of Microbiology, Maharashtra Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (Medical College), Vishwanathpuram, Ambajogai Road, Latur 413531, Maharashtra, India. dr_bsnagoba@yahoo.com
Received: July 14, 2025 Revised: August 2, 2025 Accepted: August 27, 2025 Published online: September 25, 2025 Processing time: 75 Days and 1.6 Hours
Abstract
The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in regulating immune responses, influencing susceptibility to viral infections, shaping disease progression, and its outcomes. Emerging research highlights the intricate relationship between gut microbial communities and viral pathogenesis, demonstrating that dysbiosis can compromise antiviral defenses while a balanced microbiome enhances immune resilience. This review explores key microbial mechanisms, including microbiome-mediated immune modulation, interactions with viral replication, and the impact of microbiome on systemic inflammation, highlighting how dietary interventions, such as probiotics, prebiotics, and bioactive compounds, offer potential strategies to modulate gut microbiota and mitigate viral infections. Special emphasis is placed on viruses affecting the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, norovirus, and influenza. Furthermore, we explore how nutrition-driven microbiome interventions may serve as adjunct therapeutic strategies, improving vaccine efficacy and post-viral recovery. Understanding the role of gut microbiome in viral infections can pave the way for microbiome-driven strategies to combat viral diseases and improve overall health outcomes.
Core Tip: The gut microbiome and viral infections engage in a bidirectional interplay that governs immune homeostasis by shaping epithelial barrier integrity, cytokine profiles, and Treg/T helper 17 cells balance. Microbiome-targeted interventions—probiotics, prebiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation, dietary modulation, and metabolite-based therapies—hold promise to restore microbial equilibrium, bolster mucosal defenses, and enhance antiviral immunity, though standardization and mechanistic validation are needed to translate these insights into clinical practice.
