ALT A screenshot of a Dutch news article from NU.nl, written by healthcare and education reporter Kim Einder, dated 29 Sep 2026 at 18:06. The bold white headline text overlaid on the main photograph reads: "Even years after infection, the situation remains hopeless for many post-COVID patients." The photo shows a female patient undergoing a cardiopulmonary exercise test in a medical clinic. She is sitting slightly reclined while operating a stationary exercise bicycle ergometer. She is wearing light blue leggings, a white vest over a dark long-sleeve shirt, a pulse oximeter clip on her finger, and a blue medical mask structure over her mouth and nose connected to an airflow tube. To the right, a healthcare worker's hands are visible holding a clipboard with a data sheet.

ALT A medical flowchart from Cureus titled "Post-COVID Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction." The diagram maps how acute SARS-CoV-2 infection via ACE2 receptors in the gut leads to chronic GI issues. The top of the chart shows Acute Infection, which triggers four distinct pathways: • Persistent Inflammation: Immune activation and low-grade mucosal inflammation. • Gut Microbiome Alterations: Reduced microbial diversity and dysbiosis. • Epithelial Barrier Dysfunction: Increased intestinal permeability and disrupted tight junctions. • Gut-Brain Axis Dysregulation: Altered neural signalling and visceral hypersensitivity. These four pathways converge into Post-COVID Gastrointestinal Sequelae, which ultimately branch into two clinical categories: 1. Post-COVID Gastrointestinal Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation. 2. Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction: Post-infectious IBS, functional dyspepsia, and chronic vomiting syndromes