IIT Madras, Jadavpur University conduct research to understand transmission of covid-19

NEW DELHI: The researchers are Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), Jadavpur University and Northwestern University conduct as study to show how viruses spread into lungs and cause serious illnesses along with ways to prevent such spread.

The researchers used mathematical models and performed simulation studies to understand how covid-19 spreads from the nose and throat to the lower respiratory tract along with how such viruses that infect the mucous lining of the respiratory tract spread as droplets into the lungs and cause serious illnesses.

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The research study was a collaboration between IIT Madras, alumni and corporate relations, dean, Mahesh Pachagnula; Jadavpur Universtity, department of nuclear studies and application, Aranyak Chakravarty and Northwestern University, mechanical engineering, professor, Neelesh A Patankar. The findings of the study were published in an open-source journal Frontiers in Physiology.

Two main results of the study was that use of medicines to control sneezing and coughing can help prevent the formation of infected mucous droplets in the nose and throat and their transmission into deep lungs, and that vaccination can help in preventing the development of pneumonia and other such serious lung diseases.

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Elaborating on this research, Mahesh Panchagnula, said: “We examined the last theory through mathematical modelling of droplets moving from the nose and throat to the deep lungs. Our model showed that pneumonia and other lung distress can occur within 2.5 to 7 days after the first symptoms of a COVID-19 infection occur. This happens when the infected mucous droplets are transported from the nose and throat to the lungs.”

Elaborating further, Aranyak Chakravarty, said: “There was another important finding of this work. Our studies also show that while the transport of infected mucous droplets in the airway plays an important role, the infection growth and seriousness also depend upon the immune response of the infected person.”

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“This finding reinforces the importance of vaccination in preventing severe infection. Vaccines help the body make special cells called B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes (or memory cells). T− lymphocytes suppress virus multiplication. B lymphocytes generate antibodies that destroy the virus," Neelesh Patankar, added.