The researchers envision that the enzyme could be administered in the form of a spray, to the mucous membranes, for instance, thus eliminating the source of the disease bacteria. It eliminates the organism from an infected individual and prevents it from transmitting to a family member. So for example, he says, if a child has strep throat and you give the enzyme to the other members of the family, it prevents them from getting strep throat. Many people are carriers of microorganisms, which means that while they themselves do not get symptoms, they can pass the bacteria to other people. Fischetti, who also is co-head of the Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis at Rockefeller, explains that the enzyme also will eliminate bacteria in carriers as well as those who are actively infected.
Carriers harbor the organism in their mucus membranes, such as the lining of their mouth and nose.
They are spread through contaminated saliva. If you can eliminate that reservoir, you can stop it from spreading. Louis B. Rice, MD, feels that it is important to emphasize that this enzyme is a potential intervention to stop the growth of the bacteria in the mucus membranes rather than representing a new treatment for streptococcal infection. Rice was not involved in the study. Antibiotics not only destroy destructive bacteria but also the beneficial organisms that our body needs to function.