Little is known about how children react to viruses and bacteria and why some children are much better protected than others. With a European Research Council Starting Grant of 1.6 million euros, researchers from the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) will investigate how children deal with respiratory infections. This is reported by the LUMC.
Researcher Simon Jochems says it is strange that children have a large share in the spread of pathogens, but that little is known about how their immune system responds to respiratory infections. Research is mainly aimed at adults, partly because the research methods are not suitable for children. Jochems wants to investigate local immunity in children’s noses. Normally this is done with a cotton swab in the nose, but because this is very unpleasant for children, it is not done much. A pain-free alternative for children is a kind of filter paper that collects enough material in the nose for 30 seconds.
Immune system in the nose
Thanks to the ERC subsidy, Jochems can start various projects. These tests are carried out in collaboration with pediatrician Marlies van Houten of the Spaarne Gasthuis hospital. In one study that is already underway, parents of healthy children collect a nasal sample every day for 4 weeks. “This gives us a better picture of how long it takes for the immune system to come into action after an infection, but also, for example, how a bacterial infection and a virus infection influence each other.” By mapping all aspects of the immune system in the nose, Jochems and colleagues hope to eventually find out why some children do get sick and others do not.
Research in the classroom
In a second project, Jochems visits primary schools. “An important question we want to answer in this project is: how does a virus or bacteria spread in a classroom? We visit schools three times a week to collect material from the children.” Ultimately, Jochems wants to better understand what underlies epidemiological studies, which study the spread of diseases. “We want to gain more insight into how children and pathogens interact. And perhaps in the future we can influence the immune system in the nose in such a way that respiratory infections are prevented.”
By: National Care Guide