What makes the worst worse? Having this kind of bacteria can affect your sniffles

You've probably heard about the intestinal microbiome and its importance for a healthy body, right? In fact, your nose also has a microbiome – and this could play a key role in fighting colds. According to a new study from the University of Virginia published in the journal Scientific reportsThe bacteria living in your nose can seriously affect your sniffles. Yes really. As if this was not strange enough, the researchers also found that the nose of the study participants fell into six different subtypes of nasal microbiomes. These types of nasal microbiomes are related to the severity of cold symptoms and how you fight the virus.

According to a recent press release on the study, your nose is teeming with tiny microorganisms that correlate with the type of cold you are vulnerable to and the severity of your symptoms when you're hooked to a virus. The researchers found that the bacteria in the nasal microbiome types of the study participants were related to the amount of cold viruses in the body and how cold symptoms manifested themselves from person to person. the other.

The author of the study, Dr. Ronald B. Turner, MD, of the University of Virginia Medical School, said in the press release that "the first surprise was to be able to identify these different types of that buckets seem to have an impact on how you react to the virus and how sick you are … the background microbiome, the bacteria in your nose, has influenced your reaction to the virus and your health. "

By US News & World Reportseven when people had exactly the same strain of cold viruses, those with higher levels of the bacteria staphylococcus had nasal symptoms more severe than those who had less. It is also noted in the press release that genes may play a role in both the composition of your nasal microbiome and the severity of cold symptoms.

It is also noted in the press release that the researchers gave the study participants liquid oral probiotics – beneficial bacteria – to see if they altered the composition of the nasal microbiome while helping to relieve the symptoms of the common cold. . It is however possible that a probiotic nasal spray has more impact.

The researchers also said that further studies are needed to better understand all the factors that contribute to the body's response to a cold virus, according to US News & World Report. "What we report is an association, so it's quite possible that the fact that you have staph in your nose and you have more symptoms is not directly related," said Dr. Turner. "There are environmental characteristics that also influence it – whether you are exposed to pollution, whether you are allergic or that a number of factors affect it – I do not know."

So, if you look at the most severe symptoms of colds every year, it may be due to the nasal microbiome. The results of the nasal microbiome are certainly interesting, even if they are a little strange, but other studies are needed to better understand the results of the study, but also to find ways to better relieve the symptoms of colds among patients. people most affected by the virus.