Respiratory viruses, including influenza and SARS-CoV-2, pose a major threat to global health due to their high transmission rates and the potential for severe illness. Despite the development of vaccines and therapies, respiratory viruses continue to cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. In this study, researchers from Yale University’s School of Medicine and Harvard University investigated the potential of intranasal neomycin administration to induce antiviral protection in murine models.
Neomycin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic that has been shown to induce the expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). ISGs are effector proteins that are activated by interferons and play a critical role in protecting against viral infections by inhibiting viral replication and promoting the clearance of infected cells.
The researchers found that intranasal administration of neomycin in mice induced robust expression of ISGs in the upper respiratory tract. This expression was independent of the host microbiome or interferon-related pathways. Mice that received intranasal neomycin were protected from upper respiratory tract infections with influenza A virus and SARS-CoV-2. Intranasal neomycin also prevented the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through contact.
These findings suggest that intranasal neomycin has the potential to be used as a therapeutic or prophylactic agent against respiratory viruses. Further research is needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of intranasal neomycin in humans.
