Abstract
The common cold is one of the most frequently encountered infectious diseases in humans and, despite the modest severity in most cases; it presents a significant economic burden upon society and individuals. ColdZyme® Mouth Spray (ColdZyme®, Enzymatica AB, Lund, Sweden) is a mouth spray intended to reduce the probability of catching a cold and can also help shorten the duration of a cold if used at an early stage of the infection, by forming a barrier on the oropharyngeal mucous membrane. This study evaluated the effect of ColdZyme® on common cold related sick-leave in preschool (kindergarten) staff. Fifteen preschool staff members were evaluated over a 6-month period and ColdZyme® was used according to instructions. Sick-leave days were recorded and compared to historical data. The number of average sick leave days decreased during the period from 7.4 days to 4.1 days (p = 0.04). It is notable that, if occurring, the majority of subjects perceived a common cold infection as milder than usual. Conclusion: Using ColdZyme® to apply a barrier to the pharyngeal mucous membrane may be an easy and practical way to prevent or reduce infections and corresponding sick leave in personnel from the preschool environment.
Highlights
The common cold can be caused by a number of different viruses and is one of the most frequently encountered viral infections in humans [1] [2]
This study evaluated the effect of ColdZyme® on common cold related sick-leave in preschool staff
This method was shown to be efficacious in a clinical study, in which the viral load decreased significantly in comparison to placebo (p = 0.02) and the number of days for one episode with common cold symptoms were reduced from 6.5 days to 3 days [8]
Summary
The common cold can be caused by a number of different viruses (e.g. rhinovirus, picornavirus and influenza virus) and is one of the most frequently encountered viral infections in humans [1] [2]. In order to prevent infection, the natural barrier can be strengthened by applying a glycerol- and enzyme-based layer to the pharyngeal mucous membrane. This method was shown to be efficacious in a clinical study, in which the viral load decreased significantly in comparison to placebo (p = 0.02) and the number of days for one episode with common cold symptoms were reduced from 6.5 days to 3 days [8]
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