A blocked nose, a sore throat and days under a blanket. Most people know the feeling when seasonal viruses strike and daily routines suddenly slow down.
For decades, vaccines have helped protect millions from dangerous infections. Now scientists are exploring whether protection against several respiratory threats could one day come from something much simpler.
Researchers in the United States are currently working on a new nasal spray designed to strengthen the body’s defence in the airways.
According to Dagbladet, the goal is to create a treatment that could potentially guard against illnesses such as influenza, Covid-19 and certain allergens.
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The research is being led by Bali Pulendran, professor at Stanford Medicine. His team is studying how activating immune responses directly inside the nose might help block viruses and bacteria before they spread further into the body.
A different approach
Traditional vaccines are usually injected into the bloodstream. The nasal spray aims to trigger immunity exactly where many respiratory infections first enter.
Scientists believe that stimulating immune cells in the nasal passages could help the body respond faster to airborne threats.
The early research suggests the spray may have the potential to protect against several types of respiratory dangers, including:
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- viruses
- bacteria
- allergens
Still early research
Experts emphasise that the work is still in an early phase. So far the nasal spray has only been tested on mice in laboratory studies.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health told Dagbladet that the findings are interesting but far from ready for real-world use.
Researchers there note that results from animal studies often differ when treatments are tested in humans.
Before any nasal vaccine could reach patients, scientists would need to complete several stages of safety and effectiveness testing.
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If successful, however, the concept could represent a new way of thinking about protection against airborne diseases.
Sources: Dagbladet.no and Stanford Medcine
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