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Taurine haloamines, N-chlorotaurine (NCT, TauCl), and N-bromotaurine (NBT, TauBr) are formed by a reaction between taurine and hypohalous acids, HOCl and HOBr, respectively. The major source of endogenous taurine haloamines is neutrophils. Both NCT and NBT share strong anti-inflammatory and microbicidal activities supported by an absence of microbial resistance. In the light of these properties, a number of clinical studies have been performed to document their effectiveness in treatment of bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. The administration of NCT and NBT has been limited to topical application, as they are decomposed upon systemic delivery. This review summarizes current knowledge concerning the therapeutic use of NCT and NBT mainly in various skin disorders such as non-healing wounds, acne vulgaris, herpes zoster, and psoriasis. Moreover, the beneficial effect of NCT inhalation in early stages of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory infections is discussed. And finally, we would like to suggest that NCT might be used to inhibit the development of the cytokine storm through its capacity to suppress the production of IL-6.

The current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic warrants an imperative necessity for effective and safe vaccination, to restrain Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) including transmissibility, morbidity, and mortality. In this regard, intensive medical and biological research leading to the development of an arsenal of vaccines, albeit incomplete preconditioned evaluation, due to emergency. The subsequent scientific gap raises some concerns in the medical community and the general public. More specifically, the accelerated vaccine development downgraded the value of necessary pre-clinical studies to elicit medium- and long-term beneficial or harmful consequences. Previous experience and pathophysiological background of coronaviruses’ infections and vaccine technologies, combined with the global vaccines’ application, underlined the obligation of a cautious and qualitative approach, to illuminate potential vaccination-related adverse events. Moreover, the high SARS-CoV-2 mutation potential and the already aggregated genetical alterations provoke a rational vagueness and uncertainty concerning vaccines’ efficacy against dominant strains and the respective clinical immunity. This review critically summarizes existing evidence and queries regarding SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, to motivate scientists’ and clinicians’ interest for an optimal, individualized, and holistic management of this unprecedented pandemic.

Background For Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2, the investigation of the heterogeneity of individual infectiousness is important due to the recorded widespread cross reactive immunity of general population that can alter transmission dynamics. We therefore aimed to understand how SARS-COV-2 transmits in the general population in relation to age.DesignUsing a sample of infected population with SARS-COV-2 in close geographical proximity to the initial Severe Advanced Respiratory Syndrome-1 (SARS-1) outbreak, we explored the association between infector’s age and dispersion (or heterogeneity) of individual infectiousness (k) in order to investigate the relatedness with the age of an individual’s capability to disperse SARS-COV-2.ResultsWe have found a negative association between k and increase of infector’s age. Significantly this becomes more evident for the age group of 20-60 years comparing with the infectors of younger age.ConclusionsNon pharmaceutical interventions can be effective to age group between 20-60 years whereas in youngsters and older patients containment of spreading must be made by other means to be effective. Immunity differences between age groups may reflect their differences in heterogeneity predicted by variance in dispersion parameter (k).

Taurine haloamines (N-chlorotaurine, N-bromotaurine) due to their strong antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties are good candidates for topical application in treatment of skin inflammatory/infectious disorders. Recently, we have demonstrated that more stable N-bromotaurine analogs (N-dibromo-dimethyl taurine, N-monobromo-dimethyl taurine) and bromamine T show strong microbicidal and anti-inflammatory properties at concentrations well tolerated by human cells and tissue. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitory activity are commonly used in various inflammatory diseases. However, systemic administration of NSAIDs may result in adverse side effects. For example, the use of ibuprofen in children with varicella is associated with enhanced serum levels of TNF-α and with increased risk of necrotizing soft tissue infections and secondary skin infections caused by invasive streptococci. The aim of this study was to examine combined immunomodulatory effects of bromamines and ibuprofen on J774.A1 macrophages. We have shown that the primary activity of ibuprofen, the inhibition of PGE2 production by activated macrophages was intensified in the presence of bromamines. Most importantly, the stimulatory effect of ibuprofen on production of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) was inhibited by all tested bromamines. These observations indicate that bromamines may neutralize massive production of TNF-α at sites of inflammation, a side effect of ibuprofen. Therefore, we suggest that systemic administration of ibuprofen (NSAIDs) in treatment of inflammatory/infectious skin diseases should be supported by topical application of bromamines as an adjunctive therapy.