Growing attention is being directed toward the microbial communities of the oral cavity and digestive tract due to their involvement in numerous systemic health conditions. The mouth acts not only as a host environment for a wide range of potentially pathogenic microorganisms but also as a key access point into the human body. This role is particularly important in the context of the highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for the current pandemic. Microbial populations in the oral and gastrointestinal systems can influence overall inflammatory status, shape immune function, and reflect the activity of these host responses. The immune response itself contributes to an individual’s likelihood of acquiring infections, including SARS-CoV-2. This study aims to explore how specific salivary oral microbiome components may affect susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study included 106 individuals with documented medical and dental histories who agreed to provide saliva samples between January 2017 and December 2019. By March 1, 2021, sixteen of these participants had tested positive for COVID-19 through PCR testing. In this pilot analysis, comparisons of oral bacterial taxa identified through 16S rRNA sequencing showed distinctions in microbiome profiles between those who became COVID-19 positive and those who did not. These bacterial taxa may serve as indicators of heightened vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2 infection among individuals who have not been vaccinated.
