This inhibitory effect, the study authors found, was most likely due to HRV sparking an innate immune response in human respiratory cells, known as the interferon response.
“The study also showed that this inhibitory effect was due to HRV inducing robust activation of the interferon-mediated innate immune response. The interferon response induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection is much lower and weaker,” explained Professor Young.
The team used mathematical modeling to see whether HRV infections could effectively outcompete SARS-CoV-2 infections in a simulated population. As they anticipated, the researchers found that the number of new SARS-CoV-2 infections decreased as the number of HRV infections increased, suggesting that the common cold virus may have the power to halt the spread of SARS-CoV-2 within a population.
“Virologists already know about the ‘viral interference’ between rhinoviruses and seasonal influenza [flu] – innate host immune responses (including interferon) induced by rhinoviruses can reduce the successful infection of influenza in humans. The fact that rhinoviruses may also ‘interfere’ with SARS-COV-2 infection is intriguing and needs further confirmation,” Dr Julian Tang, Honorary Associate Professor in Clinical Virologist at the University of Leicester, said.
This intriguing idea has only been tested out in the lab so far, so the findings should be treated with caution — people should not, for example, go sniffing around for a common cold in an attempt to protect themselves from COVID-19. Experts in the field say the study, although certainly interesting, has some important limitations to consider. For example, there are over 160 known strains of rhinovirus and it’s uncertain whether they would all have the same effect on SARS-CoV-2 infections.
“Translating this to the situation in real life is very tricky. Although it is likely that a common cold virus such as rhinovirus would induce a strong innate immune response that could block SARS-CoV-2 infections, it would still require both infections to occur at a similar time," noted Proffessor Gary McLean, Professor in Molecular Immunology, London Metropolitan University, who was also not involved in the study.
Weren't we told waaay back that people that have had colds were less susceptible to covid and its symptoms?!
This inhibitory effect, the study authors found, was most likely due to HRV sparking an innate immune response in human respiratory cells, known as the interferon response.
“The study also showed that this inhibitory effect was due to HRV inducing robust activation of the interferon-mediated innate immune response. The interferon response induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection is much lower and weaker,” explained Professor Young.
The team used mathematical modeling to see whether HRV infections could effectively outcompete SARS-CoV-2 infections in a simulated population. As they anticipated, the researchers found that the number of new SARS-CoV-2 infections decreased as the number of HRV infections increased, suggesting that the common cold virus may have the power to halt the spread of SARS-CoV-2 within a population.
“Virologists already know about the ‘viral interference’ between rhinoviruses and seasonal influenza [flu] – innate host immune responses (including interferon) induced by rhinoviruses can reduce the successful infection of influenza in humans. The fact that rhinoviruses may also ‘interfere’ with SARS-COV-2 infection is intriguing and needs further confirmation,” Dr Julian Tang, Honorary Associate Professor in Clinical Virologist at the University of Leicester, said.
This intriguing idea has only been tested out in the lab so far, so the findings should be treated with caution — people should not, for example, go sniffing around for a common cold in an attempt to protect themselves from COVID-19. Experts in the field say the study, although certainly interesting, has some important limitations to consider. For example, there are over 160 known strains of rhinovirus and it’s uncertain whether they would all have the same effect on SARS-CoV-2 infections.
“Translating this to the situation in real life is very tricky. Although it is likely that a common cold virus such as rhinovirus would induce a strong innate immune response that could block SARS-CoV-2 infections, it would still require both infections to occur at a similar time," noted Proffessor Gary McLean, Professor in Molecular Immunology, London Metropolitan University, who was also not involved in the study.