COVID-19 and Gastrointestinal Disease

<p>COVID-19 is the most prominent and rapidly evolving public health concern in the world currently. The gastrointestinal manifestations of COVID-19 are increasingly being recognized. SARS-CoV-2 infection has been associated with the occurrence of nausea vomiting and diarrhea. SARS-CoV-2 has also been causing pancreatic and hepatic injury. Emerging data have shown that COVID-19 patients continue to shed the virus into their stools even when patients test negative for COVID-19 in pulmonary secretions. However the epidemiology pathogenesis and treatment of SARS-CoV-2-related gastrointestinal manifestations are poorly understood.</p><p>The pandemic has also had a significant impact on gastroenterologists endoscopists and other ancillary staff. Moreover in the past systematic respiratory virus syndrome (SARS) was shown to be transmitted by endoscopes which is a big concern with COVID-19 as it shares many pathological features with SARS. The deferral of elective endoscopic procedures has negatively affected gastroenterologists.</p><p>This Special Issue focuses on the current situation of this pandemic. It aims to provide insight into the gastrointestinal manifestations of COVID-19 and its effects on endoscopic procedures. I believe that this issue will be beneficial not only for gastroenterologists but also other healthcare workers around the world to recognize the often-ignored clinical gastrointestinal manifestations of COVID-19.</p>