Research Brief: Nature Communications
Chinese scientists are testing an experimental intranasal mask to protect the respiratory tract against viral aerosols and report that the device “dramatically reduced” the likelihood of viral respiratory infections.1
The intranasal mask is comprised of a positively-charged thermosensitive hydrogel that “intercepts negatively charged viral aerosols” and a cell-derived micro-sized vesicles with a specific viral receptor that “mediates the entrapment of viruses for inactivation.” 1
According to their data, the two infection control features of the mask’s design “protected the nasal cavity and lung of mice from infection by either SARS-CoV-2 or influenza A virus.” 1
Read the study at www.nature.com
- Hu X, et al. Intranasal mask for protecting the respiratory tract against viral aerosols. Nat Commun 14, 8398 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44134-w
