Nasopharyngeal wash may prevent Covid infection: says a study

JAIPUR: City-based pulmonologists have conducted a

study

that says the technique of nasopharyngeal

wash

(

gargling

and ‘jal neti’) may prevent coronavirus from inhabiting and replicating in

nasal

and pharyngeal (throat) mucosa.

The technique is useful in reducing symptoms, transmission and viral shedding in cases of acute respiratory tract infections, they claimed.

The pulmonologists claimed that washing nasal and pharyngeal passage with saline water is useful in combating coronavirus. A research study authored by Dr Sheetu Singh, a chest specialist at

SMS

Medical College, Jaipur, has a potential of helping patients to fight against the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this rapid systematic analysis paper Dr Sheetu summarised that this type of therapy may have potential of add-on therapy in prevention and treatment of diseases like

Covid

. However, she emphasised on proper learning of the nasal wash technique under expert supervision.

The analysis of multiple studies was done in ‘Nasopharyngeal wash in preventing and treating upper respiratory tract infections: Could it prevent Covid-19?’, which says that the route of entry for SARS-CoV-2 is either through the nose, mouth and eyes. Similar to the concept of hand washing, flushing of the nose and mouth, the portals of entry of the virus to the respiratory tract may bring down the viral load, reduce transmission, symptoms, and duration of illness. It further says that reduction of viral load with hypertonic saline gargles and nasal wash may bring down the transmission to close contacts and subsequently prevent viral infections in nasopharynx.

The findings of the study are based on the results of multiple studies conducted earlier in different parts of the world. In the study, the randomised controlled trials (RCTs), case-control and cohort studies comparing nasal saline treatment/gargling/steam inhalation/kunjal/stomach saline wash with at least one other intervention or placebo were included.

“Like hand wash, nose and throat wash may also remove or reduce viral load. In previous studies it has been shown that cells in throat and nasal mucosa convert chloride ion of hypertonic saline to hypochlorous acid (HOCl) having anti-viral effect. Interestingly, HOCL is also an active component of the bleaching powder, which is used in disinfecting hands by wash,” Dr Virendra Singh, former superintendent, SMS hospital, and co-author of the study, said.

The research stressed that on similar lines the gargles and nasal wash may be tried in India according to individual preference in this Covid pandemic.