Temperature differences in the respiratory tract influence SARS-CoV-2 replication: study

When the researchers created colder conditions, they found that the virus replicated faster than when infections were carried out at 37 degrees Celsius to mimic the lower lung environment.

Natural temperature differences which exist in the upper and lower respiratory tract influence the replication of the novel coronavirus and the subsequent activation of the immune system, that may lead to the development of new therapeutics and preventive measures against COVID-19. The study, published in the journal PLOS Biology, assessed the growth of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, and activation of the immune system's cellular defense mechanisms. In the research, scientists, including those from the University of Bern in Switzerland, compared the infection pathways of the novel coronavirus and the 2002-03 SARS-CoV pandemic virus in special cell cultures mimicking the respiratory tract.