Covid

Medical masks proved effective in protecting against the virus during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, conventional masks are poorly biodegradable. For this reason, the presented paper produced environmentally friendly chitosan/silver/plant fiber membranes for masks, which also exhibited antibacterial and thermal properties.

The global corona pandemic requires effective vaccines to achieve herd immunity. In the study presented here, an inhalable chitosan-based nanovaccine containing the viral spike protein (S) was developed to specifically induce immunity at the mucosal sites of the respiratory tract.

The corona virus disease COVID-19 has changed the world. To combat the pandemic, researchers and companies around the world are working to develop vaccines and medicines. Chitosan also has potential in the area of vaccine development and functionalization of protective equipment such as respirators. We have prepared summaries of recent publications on chitosan as an aid in the fight against corona.

The global spread of SARS-CoV-2 can only be contained through vaccine development. Vector vaccines (DNA and viral) can be produced rapidly and inexpensively with current synthesis technologies. Challenges with DNA vaccines include degradation by DNases, inefficient uptake by antigen-presenting cells, and low immunogenicity. The Quil-A-loaded chitosan particulate adjuvant system (QAC) enables transport of plasmid DNA directly to target cells and delayed release over time. Here, we present two recent studies about chitosan-based delivery systems for vaccines.

In the current corona pandemic, the protection of medical personnel who have contact with Covid-19 infected patients is important, also to ensure stability of the health care services. The personal protective equipment of hospital staff includes particle filtering respiratory masks. From early 2021, a clinical study will be conducted to investigate the protective effect of a new type of respirator with a filter element containing chitosan nanoparticles in Brazil. More about this study and other current clinical studies with chitosan in this article.

Chitosan is a promising drug delivery system for pulmonary applications and is therefore of particular interest for vaccine development in the Corona Pandemic. The biodegradable and biocompatible polymer's mucoadhesive, permeation-increasing and site-/cell-specific properties are useful in this context. Nanocarriers based on various microencapsulation and micro-nano mixing systems have already been developed. The aerodynamic character is important to enable efficient pulmonary aerosol formation and inhalation. In this article we present research on chitosan as pulmonary particulate anti-infective drug carrier.

Chitosan nanoparticles can deliver drugs to their specific target site and release them over a long period. In current corona crisis, chitosan nanoparticles could be one way to release potential COVID-19 drugs specifically in the lungs of affected patients. A potential drug delivery system for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infected persons is Novochizol™, consisting of chitosan-based nanoparticles.

The new corona virus SARS-CoV-2 has spread globally, originating from China since the beginning of the year. The pathogen causes the lung disease Covid-19 and has been classified as a pandemic since March 11, 2020. Researchers around the world are working on the development of effective vaccinations and drugs. A current study examined the antiviral effectiveness of HTCC (N- (2-hydroxypropyl) -3-trimethylammonium chitosan chloride) in vitro and ex vivo against the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV.