Coronaviruses cause several human diseases, including severe acute respiratory syndrome. The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a huge threat to humans. Intensive research on the pathogenic mechanisms used by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is urgently needed—notably to identify potential drug targets. Clinical studies of patients with COVID-19 have shown that gastrointestinal disorders appear to precede or follow the respiratory symptoms. Here, we review gastrointestinal disorders in patients with COVID-19, suggest hypothetical mechanisms leading to gut symptoms, and discuss the potential consequences of gastrointestinal disorders on the outcome of the disease. Lastly, we discuss the role of the gut microbiota during respiratory viral infections and suggest that targeting gut dysbiosis may help to control the pathogenesis of COVID-19.

冠状病毒会引起多种人类疾病，包括严重急性呼吸道综合症。2019 年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）全球大流行已成为对人类的巨大威胁。迫切需要对严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒 2 (SARS-CoV-2) 的致病机制进行深入研究，特别是确定潜在的药物靶点。对 COVID-19 患者的临床研究表明，胃肠道疾病似乎出现在呼吸道症状之前或之后。在这里，我们回顾了 COVID-19 患者的胃肠道疾病，提出了导致肠道症状的假设机制，并讨论了胃肠道疾病对疾病结果的潜在影响。最后，