'Experimental chewing gum 'traps' Omicron particles in saliva'

According to a new study, the chewing gum traps COVID particles in the saliva and hold promise for curbing transmission of new variants of the virus

FP Staff|Jul 27, 2022, 09:38:33 IST

According to some recent studies on COVID-19, experimental chewing gum reduces Omicron particles in saliva.

According to Reuters, an experimental chewing gum which "traps" SARS-CoV-2 particles in saliva seems promising for curbing transmission of new variants of COVID-19 virus, according to new data.

The gum contains copies of the ACE2 protein found on cell surfaces, which COVID-19 uses to break into cells and infect them. In test-tube experiments, using saliva from infected people, the virus particles attached themselves to the ACE2 "receptors" in the chewing gum and the viral load fell to undetectable levels, researchers reported in Biomaterials.

In the clinical trial, COVID-19 patients will each chew four ACE2 gum tablets each day for four days.

Long COVID symptoms include sexual dysfunction, hair loss and libido, UK researchers warn.

The researchers compared nearly half a million people who recovered from COVID-19 infections before the middle of April 2021, without having been hospitalized, with nearly two million uninfected people of similar age, gender and health status. Overall, 62 persistent symptoms were significantly associated with COVID-19 infections after 12 weeks, the researchers reported in Nature Medicine.

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