Identification of SARS-CoV-2 Persistent Intestinal Epithelial Syndrome (SPIES) as a Novel Disease Entity using Clinical, Histologic, and RNA Programmatic Data

Abstract Long COVID (LC) remains an ongoing issue and one which has created a substantial burden of disease. Gastrointestinal LC is relatively poorly understood. In this study we characterize a syndrome of persistent SARS-CoV2 viral material via clinical and histologic data, and RNA sequencing Methods We reviewed patients aged 5-22 years with an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) for gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms from 6/2020-6/2023, excluding patients with known histologic disease. Biopsies were sent for immunohistochemical staining. Clinical data was collected. Duodenal, ileal, cecal, and sigmoid colon samples were stained for SARS-CoV-2 using a SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibody. Slides were reviewed by a blinded pathologist. 8 patients with known duodenal SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen (SC-NA) positivity and 8 demographically matched IBS matched patients from prior to 2020 were identified for RNA sequencing comparison. Results were compared with public data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data repository for intestinal tissue with IBS and epithelial tissues with active SARS-CoV2 infection. Results Of 30 patients, fifteen (50%) were identified to have positive SC-NA . 3 (20%) had received at least a single SARS-CoV2 vaccine in the + cohort, and 8 (53.3%) in the - (P=0.05). Primary symptoms were pain (86%, nausea (66.6%), and weight loss (60%). 37.5% of patients with colonic SC-NA displayed hematochezia. 33% of + patients showed elevated ESR/CRP. Mean + calprotectin was 317.3 vs. 156.4 (p=0.2). 11/15 (73.3%) +SC-NA had large lymphoid aggregates (LLA) (p = 0.00338). RNA expression was consistent with known acute SARS-CoV2 infection. Hub network analysis showed a tight shift in RNA expression centered around HSPE-1p26, with involvement of known SARS-CoV2 immune mediators like NEAT1. DGE comparative analysis with IBS and acute SARS-CoV2 infection showed higher overlap with acute infection vs. IBS. FGSEA analysis with the same source data demonstrated the same. Conclusions Our findings establish a syndrome mediated by persistent viral infection (SARS-CoV2 Persistent Intestinal Epithelial Syndrome (SPIES)). We hypothesize that persistent sparse infection drives ongoing immune signaling altering movement and function, creating epithelial and movement effects overlapping with DGBI and IBD ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement SUNY Downstate SEED grant (internal) Madu Rao Pediatric Research Grant (internal) ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: The SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University IRB gave ethical approval for this work I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes Data will be available on GEO with publication