Could a skin creme prevent mosquito-borne diseases?

Skin cream activates the body’s immune defense to stop viruses in their tracks. Credit: Steven Bryden

Article Highlights

A skin cream used to treat warts and skin cancer could help protect people against viral diseases such as Zika and dengue, according to new research
The findings have identified a new method that may prevent infection from a wide variety of dangerous viruses.
Rising global temperatures, coupled with an increasingly inter-connected world, has led to an upsurge in potentially deadly mosquito-borne illnesses for which no effective treatments currently exist
Scientists studied four types of virus transmitted by mosquitos and found that applying a cream within an hour of a mosquito bite dramatically reduced infection rates in their models
They used two different models to understand the effect of the skin cream – human skin samples and mice. In both cases, applying the skin cream acted like a warning signal which caused a rapid activation of the skin’s immune response that fights any potential viral threats. This prevented the virus from spreading around the body and causing disease
“By boosting the immune system and not targeting a specific virus, this strategy has the potential to be a ‘silver bullet’ for a wide range of distinct mosquito-borne viral diseases.” DR STEVEN BRYDEN
The cream, called imiquimod or Aldara, is commonly used to treat genital warts and some forms of skin cancer. The researchers caution that further testing is needed before recommendations can be made for people to start using this cream on mosquito bites
Lead author Dr Clive McKimmie, from the University of Leeds’ School of Medicine, said: “This study shows that a clinically approved, widely used skin cream has the potential to be repurposed as a valuable protector against insect-borne diseases
“What is especially encouraging about our results is that the cream was effective against a number of distinct viruses, without needing to be targeted to one particular virus
“If this strategy can be developed into a treatment option then we might be able to use it to tackle a wide range of new emerging diseases that we have not yet encountered
There are hundreds of viruses spread by biting mosquitoes which can infect humans
At present, there are no anti-viral medicines and few vaccines to help combat these infections
By applying skin cream after a bite, researchers found that they could pre-emptively activate the immune system’s inflammatory response before the virus becomes a problem. The cream encouraged a type of immune cell in the skin, called a macrophage, to suddenly spring into action to fight off the virus before it could spread around the body
“But we are hopeful that one day this discovery could help a vast number of people to avoid disease, particularly in parts of the world hardest hit by these devastating diseases
“If we can repurpose this cream into an anti-viral treatment option, it could be a useful addition to mosquito repellent as a way of avoiding infection from harmful diseases
“This approach could be particularly valuable for people at high risk of infection, such as those with a suppressed immune system, and in times of disease outbreak.”

The Complete Story: Pitt Researchers Propose Solutions for Networking Lag in Massive IoT Devices

University of Leeds | University of Glasgow

Go deeper with Bing News on:

Mosquito-borne diseases

Zika Virus Detected In Kerala: Know More About This Mosquito-Borne Infection
on July 9, 2021 at 1:21 am
Samples of 13 more persons, suspected to be positive for Zika virus, have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune. TheHealthSite.com ...
Climate change likely to increase spread of mosquito-borne diseases
on July 9, 2021 at 12:05 am
Climate change could put billions more people at risk for deadly mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue, researchers said. They see the danger zone expanding within the United States, ...
What Is Zika Virus? Symptoms And Prevention Of Mosquito-borne Disease
on July 8, 2021 at 11:34 am
The mosquito-borne Zika virus is primarily spread by the bite of an infected Aedes species, which bites during the day. What Is Zika Virus ...
Kerala reports cases of Zika virus; symptoms, prevention and cure of of mosquito-borne disease
on July 8, 2021 at 9:44 am
The disease is usually mild in nature, but the danger it poses is that it can be transmitted easily and cause birth defects in pregnant women.
As Zika Virus Rears its Head in India, Know All About the Mosquito-borne Disease
on July 8, 2021 at 9:01 am
Kerala on Thursday reported its first case of Zika virus in a 24-year-old pregnant woman, who has been diagnosed with the mosquito transmitted disease.

Go deeper with Google Headlines on:

Mosquito-borne diseases

Climate change likely to increase spread of mosquito-borne diseases - UPI News
July 9, 2021
First mosquito-borne virus of 2021 detected in Michigan mosquitoes - UpperMichigansSource.com
June 25, 2021
Case of Rare Mosquito-Borne Illness, Jamestown Canyon Virus, Reported in NJ - NBC New York
June 23, 2021
Zika virus cases in Kerala: Symptoms, prevention and treatment of mosquito-borne disease - Hindustan Times
July 8, 2021
What we know so far about the mosquito-borne disease EEE in Mass. this year - Boston.com
June 24, 2021

Go deeper with Bing News on:

Imiquimod

Topical Imiquimod Therapy for Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma
on June 30, 2021 at 5:00 pm
After the topical steroids were discontinued, treatment with topical 5% imiquimod cream three times per week was started for 2 weeks, advancing to daily application thereafter. She was instructed ...
8 Melanoma Treatments and Therapies to Know, According to Experts
on June 23, 2021 at 1:43 pm
The most common types currently used are: immune checkpoint inhibitors, interleukin-2 (IL-2), oncolytic virus therapy, Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine, and imiquimod cream. Chemotherapy is ...
U.S. HSV1 Treatment Market
on June 16, 2021 at 1:54 am
Aldara is an imiquimod cream used for HSV1 treatment. This website launch helped the company to gain patients attention and increase their awareness towards major HSV1 treatment products.
Your Good Health: Three ways to use immune system to fight warts
on June 8, 2021 at 10:27 am
I know of three treatments that use the body’s immune system to fight warts: The first is a topical treatment, imiquimod. This treatment is painless and, in my opinion, certainly worth a three ...
To Your Good Health: Few treatments left for plantar warts
on June 8, 2021 at 9:52 am
DEAR DR. ROACH: I have had plantar warts on both feet for decades. Unfortunately, they are on the pressure points of my feet (balls and heels). Nothing seems to eradicate the virus. I have tried ...