The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has infected over 104 million lives and caused over 2.3 million deaths globally. Although predominantly considered a respiratory disease, one-fourth of the COVID-19 patients also present other symptoms, often related to the gastrointestinal or nervous systems.
Many other cells in the body besides lung alveolar epithelial cells express angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors – the means through which the virus enters host cells. The heart, pancreas, GI tract, kidney, testis and other organs which express ACE2 receptors, and studies demonstrated that the virus infects the heart, vascular endothelial cells, kidney, liver and the pancreas.
