1. Introduction
Since its initial reported outbreak in late 2019 (Zhu et al., 2020),
corona virus 2019 (COVID-19) has exploded from a few people suffering
from a respiratory disease in the Chinese city of Wuhan to a surging
pandemic affecting hundreds of thousands around the globe. Current
methods of pandemic control are confined only to public containment and
private hygiene measures, while there are yet no established antiviral
treatments and vaccine development may take as long as 18 months away
(Kuchler et al., 2020).
Lactoferrin (Lf) is a naturally occurring and non-toxic glycoprotein
that has been studied against a broad range of viruses including
SARS-CoV, which is closely related to SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19
(Chen et al., 2020). Furthermore, it has immunomodulatory and
anti-inflammatory characteristics which can positively modify host
responses to infections (Legrand et al., 2006). Lf is available as an
oral supplement, and studies suggest that supplemental Lf may treat or
prevent a host of microbial infections (Bruni et al., 2016). Here we
examine the antiviral properties and immunomodulatory mechanisms of Lf
within the context of its potential applications against SARS-CoV-2 and
propose the possibility of supplemental Lf as a potential preventative
and adjunct treatment for COVID-19, a condition whose pathophysiology
involves both viral infection and an excessive host response (Fung et
al., 2020).