Role of the lung microbiome in SARS-CoV-2 infection – The effect of intranasal antibiotic treatment on the type I interferon response and microglial morphology in the CNS

Introduction Upon the infection with SARS-CoV-2, many patients not only show respiratory, but also central nervous system (CNS) symptoms. Additionally, type I interferons play an important role in the viral containment and seem to be dysregulated in some patients with COVID-19. In this study, the influence of the lung microbiome on the cytokine profile in lung and CNS of K18-hACE2 mice is investigated with special emphasis on microglia. In a second step, the effects on the susceptibility for a SARS-CoV-2-infection will be evaluated as well.