Clinical effects of catechin -treated masks on the prevention of influenza infection

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K08924
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General internal medicine(including psychosomatic medicine)
• Research Institution: University of Shizuoka
• Principal Investigator: YAMADA Hiroshi 静岡県立大学, 薬学部, 教授 (40265252)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 開發 邦宏 大阪大学, 産業科学研究所, 特任准教授(常勤) (70419464)
• Research Collaborator: FURUSHIMA Daisuke 静岡県立大学, 薬学部, 助教 ; IDE Kazuki 静岡県立大学, 薬学部, 客員共同研究員 ; TAKUMA Norikata 白十字ホーム, 医師 ; FUJII Sadako 白十字ホーム, 看護師 ; IIDA Norio 東京白十字病院, MSW ; KOKURE Kenta 東京ばんなん白光園, MSW
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: カテキン / インフルエンザ / マスク / 臨床試験 / ランダム化比較試験

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Influenza is a severe, respiratory tracts illness, caused by influenza virus and easily spread in public, therefore prevention is very important. Basic experimental studies revealed that catechins inhibit viral adsorption against influenza virus. We also developed the catechin-derivative with higher efficacy against influenza virus. Then, we conducted randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effects of catechin-treated face masks on influenza prevention.
Health care workers were randomly allocated into the catechin- or non-treated mask groups for 60 days. In the first trial using natural tea catechin-treated masks, 234 participants were eligible for the study. Six participants were infected influenza (catechin, 3.4%; control, 1.7%). In the second trial using catechin derivative-treated masks, 238 participants were eligible for the study. Thirteen participants were infected (catechin, 5.8%; control, 5.1%). These results did not differ significantly.

Free Research Field

内科学