Picking your nose can be dangerous for your health, scientists warn of a fearsome bacteria

Several scientists hypothesize that picking your nose could be associated with a health risk.

Stop putting your finger in your nose! This is a bit of a classic for a parent. Behind this injunction that all children have heard at one time or another, it is a question of making them lose a bad habit, which not only is not very hygienic, but is also very badly seen in society. A bad habit that could even have a strong impact on health since a recent study reports a potential link between nose picking and the development of certain diseases.

The study in question, published in the journal Scientific reports, is the result of research conducted by nearly fifteen English and Australian scientists. It shows that the bacteria called Chlamydia pneumoniae, implicated in the development of pneumonia, can travel up the olfactory nerve that connects the nasal cavity to the brain, leading to the deposition of beta-amyloid proteins, which are thought to occur in cases of infection. Now these proteins are often present in very large numbers when a person has Alzheimer's disease.

“We are the first to show that Chlamydia pneumoniae can travel straight up the nose and into the brain, where it can trigger conditions that resemble Alzheimer's disease,” said neuroscientist James St John of Griffith University in Australia when it was published in 2022. He and his fellow scientists also noted that the bacteria established themselves very rapidly in the central nervous system, and that the related infection occurred within 24 to 72 hours.

Although exciting for research into Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, the Australian-British study has not yet been performed only on mice. "We need to perform this study on humans and confirm whether the same pathway works in the same way," explained the scientist who co-supervised the study. But before we know the results of this future research and whether a link between picking your nose and developing a form of dementia is established, there are already several medical reasons for not rummaging in your nostrils.

Mucus in The origin of boogers is produced in particular to block the passage of viruses, bacteria and dust but also toxic elements such as lead and asbestos, which are known to cause health damage. Added to this are the risks of damage to the tissues present in the nasal cavity which would cause bleeding, particularly in children. So there is no age to remember that you should never pick your nose.