Nose and throat study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Early and late nasal and tonsil cell responses during human pneumococcal colonisation
IRAS ID
219309
Contact name
Andrea Collins
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 9 months, 31 days
Research summary
Pneumococcus bacteria can cause severe infection such as pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis particularly in those with lower immunity, such as the very young and the very old (especially if other chronic illnesses are present).
These bacteria are commonly present in the nose of healthy adults without any sign of illness. We think that small numbers of bacteria present in the nose (“nasal carriage”) protect people against disease. By understanding the protective mechanism that occurs in the nose and throat, we might be able to develop a new vaccine against pneumonia.
We will use the already established Experimental Pneumococcal Carriage Model (EHPC) that allows healthy volunteers to carry these bacteria in their nose safely. In addition will obtain small tissue sample from the nasal lining (mucosa) also know as biopsy. And in the group of participants that are recruited from the Otolaryngology clinic a biopsy will be taken from the nose and tonsil. At the same time, we will obtain blood samples and study it in detail.
This study aims to find out the type of immune responses that evolve in the nose and throat during nasal carriage of pneumococcus bacteria.
We will recruit 45 healthy adults age between 18 and 50.
For the healthy volunteers the study will be conducted at the clinical research facility (CRU) at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital in Liverpool. For the group of surgical patients biopsy will be taken from the nasal lining and the tonsil at the time of their planned nasal surgery.
Volunteers will be recruited from advertising in local media and in public places and from ENT clinic at UHA/RLUH.
We ask participants to report any early signs of infection, we provide a thermometer and antibiotics to identify and treat infection early. The research team are available any time day or night and will provide access to healthcare.REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/NW/0029
Date of REC Opinion
1 Feb 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion