A nasal spray could help stop respiratory infections The spray traps viruses and bacteria in the nose before they can infect a person The spray worked in lab and mouse tests, but hasn’t yet been tested on humans WEDNESDAY, Sept. 25, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- A non-drug nasal spray could theoretically help stop the spread of respiratory viruses like the and COVID-19 better than wearing a mask, a new study suggests. The spray uses ingredients that are medically inactive to trap germs in the nose before they can infect a person, researchers said.
“We developed a drug-free formulation using these compounds to block germs in three ways,” said co-senior study author , an assistant professor of anesthesiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. The nasal spray “forms a gel-like matrix that traps respiratory droplets, immobilizes the germs, and effectively neutralizes them, preventing infection,” Joshi explained in a hospital news release. Researchers call their discovery Pathogen Capture and Neutralizing Spray (PCANS).
Most viruses enter the human body through the nose. Vaccines can help the immune system fend off an immune attack, but they can’t stop the attack at its source, researchers noted. “The COVID pandemic showed us what respiratory pathogens can do to humanity in a very short time.
That threat hasn’t gone away,” said co-senior study author , distinguished chair in anesthesiology at Brigham and Women’s. “Not only do we have the flu to deal with.