Prof Robert Read, director of the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre in England, and his team created a nose drop containing a type of “friendly” bacteria which could help prevent meningitis and other infections.

The research team in a previous study, found inoculating adults with Neisseria lactamica (Nlac), a “friendly” bacterial strain, resulted in Nlac settling harmlessly in the nose for months and prevented them from carrying N. meningitidis (causative organism for meningococcal meningitis) at the same time. They now hope genetically enhancing theNlac with a “sticky” surface protein from N.meningitidis will increase the ability of Nlac to reside in the nose and generate a strong immune response that protects against the meningitis-causing bacteria.

They are launching clinical trials to establish whether the modified bacteria will protect against meningococcal meningitis.

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