Bacterial Vaginosis: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

Common Antibiotic Neosporin May Shield Against Viral Respiratory Infections

Viral respiratory infections are common and generally result in a few days of illness from which most people recover without treatment.

However, they can lead to severe disease, so most existing treatments aim to prevent existing infections from progressing.

A new study suggests a way of stopping viral respiratory infections before they have a chance to become severe.

The study found that a common antibiotic boosts the immune response to both SARS-CoV-2 and influenza in rodents, preventing severe disease and death.

The researchers propose that the antibiotic, neomycin, could be a cheap, effective way to prevent and treat viral respiratory infections in people.

The COVID-19 pandemic focused attention on viral respiratory infections and how they can be prevented and treated.

With effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19 — severe disease is less common than it was at the start of the pandemic, but there are still few effective treatments for this and other viral respiratory infections.

Currently, doctors use antivirals to try and prevent progression of these infections, with monoclonal antibodies and convalescent plasma for combating severe disease.

Now, a study led by researchers from Yale has found that a cheap, widely available antibiotic might reduce the risk of severe disease from viral respiratory infections.

The study found that neomycin, applied inside the nose, caused a strong immune response in mice and hamsters which protected against infection with both SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A.

And a small group of healthy people treated with a common nasal ointment containing neomycin — Neosporin — showed a similar immune response.

The study is published in PNAS.

William Schaffner, MD, professor of preventive medicine in the Department of Health Policy, and professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, not involved in the study, commented on the findings for Medical News Today:

"This is a very provocative study. Clearly, there is an urgent need for better ways both to prevent and to treat serious respiratory infections. This series of early studies suggests that non-specific immune stimulation by an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment could protect the mucus membranes of the nose from viral infection. This is a fascinating counter-intuitive concept that is worth pursuing further."

Antibiotics are drugs that kill bacteria and/or prevent them from multiplying. They are used to treat bacterial infections inside the body and also as topical treatments for infections of the skin.

Neomycin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic. People take it orally for infections in the digestive tract, or can use it as a topical ointment, neosporin.

Neosporin ointment, which contains neomycin and two other antibiotics, is used to prevent infection in minor cuts and burns, for bacterial infections of the nose, and for management of nosebleeds.

The researchers in this study investigated whether intranasal application of neomycin evoked antiviral protection against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A in the upper respiratory tract of mice and whether it prevented transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in hamsters.

Jonathan Stoye, PhD, virologist and principal group leader at the Francis Crick Institute in London, United Kingdom, not involved in this research, explained to MNT:

"The concept of preventing virus infection by stimulating natural antiviral immunity has enormous appeal."

First, the researchers treated mice with a single dose of 2 milligrams (mg) neomycin sulfate as 10 microliters (μL) of neomycin solution per nostril. They euthanized mice on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 after neomycin treatment and collected nasal tissue for analysis.

From day 1, the neomycin-treated mice had significantly increased levels of interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression — an immune response that is effective against viruses — compared with controls.

The researchers then infected neomycin-treated transgenic (genetically engineered) mice with different strains of SARS-CoV-2.

The mice did not show the usual signs of infection, such as weight loss, and most survived the infection, whereas the control mice did not. Nasal cells from the neomycin-treated mice showed significantly lower levels of viral replication than those of control mice.

Neomycin-treated mice had a similar increase in resistance to influenza A infection.

The researchers treated Syrian hamsters with intranasal neomycin (5 mg) then housed them with hamsters that had been infected 24 hours earlier with SARS-CoV-2. One day later, only half of the neomycin-treated hamsters had any signs of infection.

"This early-stage research in several rodent models identifies one compound, neomycin, that appears to have [antiviral] activity," Stoye told MNT.

However, Schaffner cautioned that findings in rodents might not be applicable to people. "It is a long jump from animal studies to use in humans. This study represents the first steps in a long journey," he said.

The researchers then conducted a small, double-blind pilot study in people. A group of 12 healthy volunteers was treated with Neosporin ointment, which contains neomycin sulfate, bacitracin, and polymyxin B as its active ingredients.

They applied the ointment inside their nostrils using a cotton swab twice a day. Control volunteers applied petroleum jelly (Vaseline) in the same way.

When their immune responses were tested on days 4, 8 and 12 of the trial, the Neosporin-treated group had a much higher ISG response rate than the controls.

"Although an immune response in human volunteers was elicited by the intranasal application of Neosporin ointment, whether this would prevent or treat viral infections in people will have to be demonstrated in a prospective, double-blind trial in a large group of volunteers," cautioned Schaffner.

"Early results always are exciting, but much more work is needed before we can consider this for clinical application," Schaffner noted.

Using antivirals to treat infections can drive the development of resistant strains as respiratory viruses mutate rapidly, so the researchers suggest that stimulating the innate immune response using antibiotics could be an effective alternative treatment.

The researchers also point out that neomycin is cheap, readily available, and easy to administer intranasally.

However, both Schaffner and Stoye had concerns about using neomycin in this way.

Schaffner told us:

"In order to prevent SARS-CoV-2 or any respiratory viral infection, patients likely would have to apply the Neosporin ointment to the nose for very long periods of time. Whether persons would be compliant with such a regimen would have to be determined. Also, the safety of such prolonged application of the ointment to the nasal mucus membranes would have to be established."

He also highlighted the risks of using any antibiotic for prolonged periods: "In addition, there is the concern that the widespread and prolonged use of the antibiotic ointment could provoke the development of antibiotic resistance of the usual bacterial population of the nose and throat. If so, this would be a notable limitation."

While welcoming the study, Stoye called for further research into the treatment. "Much more work will be required to determine how it works, whether it is protective in humans and whether it would be safe to use on the population level," he noted.

Common Antibiotic May Be Helpful In Fighting Respiratory Viral Infections

A new, Yale-led study suggests that a range of respiratory viral infections — including COVID-19 and influenza — may be preventable or treatable with a generic antibiotic that is delivered to the nasal passageway.

A team led by Yale's Akiko Iwasaki and former Yale researcher Charles Dela Cruz successfully tested the effectiveness of neomycin, a common antibiotic, to prevent or treat respiratory viral infections in animal models when given to the animals via the nose. The team then found that the same nasal approach — this time applying the over-the-counter ointment Neosporin — also triggers a swift immune response by interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) in the noses of healthy humans.

The findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"This is an exciting finding, that a cheap over-the-counter antibiotic ointment can stimulate the human body to activate an antiviral response," said Iwasaki, the Sterling Professor of Immunobiology and professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine and co-senior author of the new study.

"Our work supports both preventative and therapeutic actions of neomycin against viral diseases in animal models, and shows effective blocking of infection and transmission," said Iwasaki, who is also professor of molecular, cellular, and developmental biology in Yale's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, professor of epidemiology at Yale School of Public Health, and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Respiratory viruses affect millions of people each year. The global COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has led to 774.5 million cases worldwide as of February 2024, with global mortality of 6.9 million people. Influenza viruses account for up to 5 million cases of severe illness and 500,000 deaths annually worldwide.

Currently, most therapies used to fight respiratory viral infections — including antivirals, monoclonal antibodies, and convalescent plasma therapy — are delivered intravenously or orally. They focus on stopping the progression of existing infections.

A nasal-centered therapy has a much better chance of stopping infections before they can spread to the lower respiratory tract and cause severe diseases, the researchers said.

"This collaborative multi-disciplinary work combined important insights from animal pulmonary infection modeling experiments with human study evaluation of this intranasal approach to stimulate antiviral immunity," said Dela Cruz, former associate professor of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine, and of microbial pathogenesis at Yale School of Medicine and former director of the Center for Pulmonary Infection Research and Treatment. Dela Cruz is currently at the University of Pittsburgh.

In their study, the researchers found that mice treated intranasally with neomycin showed a robust ISG line of defense against both SARS-CoV- 2 and a highly virulent strain of influenza A virus. The researchers also found that an intranasal treatment of neomycin strongly mitigated contact transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in hamsters.

In healthy humans, intranasal application of Neosporin (containing neomycin) also initiated a strong expression of ISGs in a subset of volunteers, the researchers said.

"Our findings suggest that we might be able to optimize this cheap and generic antibiotic to prevent viral diseases and their spread in human populations, especially in global communities with limited resources," Iwasaki said. "This approach, because it is host-directed, should work no matter what the virus is."

The co-first authors of the new study, all from Yale, are Tianyang Mao, Jooyoung Kim, and Mario Peña-Hernández.

5 Reasons Yeast Infections Recur

The vagina naturally harbors a healthy balance of yeast (fungus called Candida albicans) and bacteria

Yeast infections are common for many women, causing itching, burning, and discomfort. While they are typically treatable with over-the-counter or prescription medication, some women experience recurrent yeast infections, meaning they come back frequently.

This article explores five reasons yeast infections might be recurring and offers solutions to help prevent them from disrupting your life.

Understanding Yeast Infections: A Balancing Act

The vagina naturally harbors a healthy balance of yeast (fungus called Candida albicans) and bacteria. This balance keeps yeast growth in check. However, when this balance is disrupted, yeast can overgrow, leading to a yeast infection.

Several factors can disrupt this delicate balance, increasing your chances of recurrent yeast infections.

1. Incomplete Treatment: Not Kicking Out the Candida Completely

If you don't complete the entire course of treatment for a yeast infection, even if symptoms subside, some Candida might still linger. These leftover yeast cells can then quickly multiply and cause another infection.

Solution: Always finish the entire course of medication, whether it's a one-time dose, a three-day cream, or a seven-day suppository, as your doctor prescribes.

2. Antibiotic Disruption: The Collateral Damage

Antibiotics are essential for fighting bacterial infections, but they can also disrupt the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina. This can allow yeast to overgrow, leading to an infection.

Solution: If you're taking antibiotics, discuss the possibility of a yeast infection with your doctor. They might recommend taking a probiotic supplement alongside the antibiotics to help maintain a healthy balance of bacteria in the vagina.

3. Hormonal Shifts: A Natural Disruption

Hormonal fluctuations throughout your life can affect the vaginal environment. For instance, pregnancy, menstruation, and menopause can all cause changes in estrogen levels, which can influence yeast growth.

Solution: Talk to your doctor about how hormonal changes might impact yeast infections. They might recommend birth control pills with a consistent dose of estrogen or explore other options to manage hormonal fluctuations.

4. Tight Clothing and Friction: Creating a Yeast-Friendly Environment

Yeast thrives in warm, moist environments. Wearing tight-fitting clothing that traps heat and moisture can increase your risk of yeast infections. Similarly, frequent friction from activities like cycling or tight-fitting workout clothes can irritate the vulva, making it more susceptible to disease.

Solution: Opt for loose-fitting cotton underwear that allows for ventilation. After exercising or sweating, change out of damp clothes as soon as possible.

5. Underlying Medical Conditions: A Deeper Look

Occasionally, recurrent yeast infections can indicate an underlying medical condition, such as diabetes or a weakened immune system.

Solution: If you experience frequent yeast infections (four or more in a year), consult your doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions.

Preventing Recurrent Yeast Infections: Taking Charge of Your Health

By understanding the reasons behind recurrent yeast infections and implementing the solutions mentioned above, you can take control of your vaginal health and prevent these uncomfortable episodes.

Here are some additional tips for preventing yeast infections:

Maintain good hygiene: Wash your vulva daily with warm water and a mild, fragrance-free cleanser. Avoid douching, which can disrupt the natural balance in the vagina.

Practice safe sex: While yeast infections are not considered sexually transmitted infections (STIs), certain sexual practices can irritate the vagina and increase the risk of infection. Consider using lubricants during sex and wiping from front to back after intercourse to prevent bacteria from entering the vagina.

Manage stress: Chronic stress can weaken the immune system, making you more susceptible to infections. Practice relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation to manage stress levels.

Maintain a balanced diet: Limit your intake of processed sugars and refined carbohydrates, which can feed yeast growth. Focus on a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Remember, if you experience persistent or severe symptoms of yeast infection, consult your doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

This story was created using AI technology.

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